Hello allo, 

The government has really ramped up it’s messages about Disabled people hasn’t it? 

There has been a lot of negative narratives and harmful stereotyping surrounding our community. But where to begin…? 

I think I’ll start with the blatant lack of understanding. The government does not seem to not understand the benefits system… They do not seem to understand that Personal Independence Payment or PIP, can claimed whether the person is in work or out of work. 

Furthermore it appears as though people do not fully understand the word ‘independence’. The payment exists to support Disabled people with extra costs of living with a Disability. 

You also do not automatically get the benefit because you are diagnosed with ADHD, or a Visual Impairment etc. 

It is a horrible process which a Disabled Person needs to go through. They ave to fill out a really long form where they tell the DWP how their Disability affects them. Once they have filled in this form, and provided medical evidence they then have to go to an assessment centre or have someone come to their home and ask them really invasive questions about their daily routine, washing habits, eating habits, whether or not they have job or friends… then the Disabled person is given a score and this score then adds up to how many points they get. This scoring system then decides if they are allowed any benefits which could help them to cover the extra costs which come with being disabled. 

More often than not the person will fail this assessment and will then have the option to appeal the decision. Again the decision could come back as a ‘no sorry your visually impaired and can’t see very well, you don’t ever leave the house alone on new or unfamiliar journeys, but you don’t qualify’. 

Then the Disabled Person has the option to essentially take the government to court. This is called a tribunal. You have to go and sit in front of a Judge and Doctors and make the case that you are Disabled and just want some help with the extra cost of living and keeping yourself alive. 

The tribunal process is separate to the DWP and it is independent. It does not have any government backed companies behind it, like ATOS trying to save the government money. 

A majority of the time Disabled People win these tribunals because the people at them are medical professionals and people who practice law. Therefore they understand the person in front of them and their needs and what they are entitled too. 

Do you honestly believe it is an easy process putting yourself through all of that? So many Disabled do not have the energy or support to go trough it. Quite often Disabled people might end up taking their own lives because they have run out of energy and money to support themselves because whilst they are fighting all of this they have no benefits because they have been stopped. 

Whilst I am writing this I am very much aware of the level of pain my right side is in due to my Scoliosis. 

Do not judge Disabled People. We have just as much as right to exist as anyone else. Our lives have meaning. 

If you are reading this and were not aware of how these new policies will impact Disabled People please contact your MP and express to them your concerns. Help Disabled People to be able to just have the right live. 

Thank you, 

Philippa B.