Benefits

Money is the problem. When we reach a stage of not needing money then things will change. Until then it will not. We will just keep on reshaping a system that is fatally flawed. Unfortunately we are unlikely to see the stage at which we no longer need money within our lifetimes.

Money benefits no one, expect those who have it to control others. ~ the 20% privy elite

Be like Bristol create your own currency within the local community and use the currency to carry out social projects, therefore no unemployment. I believe everyone in the community regardless of situation should get paid at least £25,000 a year,, this is a living wage, supported by Industry or Government. The economical system in this world does not help the 80% of the worlds population,. Money is a dark game of chess by evilight chaos rulers, with a crown dark sympathy. Conclusion: MONEY IS BULLS*** CONTROL of the masses.

NAS8954 said:

I would like to the implementation of a full citizen's income.  A citizen's income is an income paid by the state to every person as a right of citizenship. The assessment unit is the individual so the amount of citizen's income received is the same whether one is living alone, a partner of a couple, or as a member of a family or household.

http://www.citizensincome.org/FAQs.htm

There are several problems with that model.

One is that it doesn't reflect economic reality.

By which I mean simply this: it's far less cheaper, per person, to feed a family of 5 than it is to feed oneself when one is living alone.

Also, in it's purest form it also doesn't take special needs and circumstances in to consideration.

But if you dilute it, and do take those needs and circumstances into consideration, you essentially end up back with the current model of various different levels of benefit and means-tested top-ups.

Indeed you could look at the current system as a citizen's income of £0 topped up with different amounts depending on whether you're unemployed, ill or disabled, or have children, and so on.

I am on permitted work at the moment. But if I did any my hours, my benefits would be affected, and if it did not work out, I would have to start my claim all over again , which would be incredibly stressful. So, in this respect, the benefits system makes it difficult for disabled people to widen their horizons - taking a step into the unknown.

There is something called permitted work. You can work up to 16 hours and earn a certain amount of money per week before your benefits are affected.

I know what you mean Easy. I think that benefits should not automatically be taken away the moment someone with AS finds work. The claim should still be operational (although the money, once in work, would be stopped) for up to a year, so that if the person can't cope with the employment and have to drop out, their claim would automatically be reactivated, avoiding the extreme stress of having to reapply and possibly face the likes of ATOS again.

I believe a lot of what you suggest, Easy, it what is supposed to be happening when they bring in the new PIP system.

Of course when is "what is supposed to be happening" what actually happens when it comes to benefits?

Another concern I have is with paying for support workers - I'm in the process of writing a support plan to get a personal budget to pay for a couple of personal assistants - but then what happens if I start working?

I assume the contribution I have to make to the cost of this support will go up, and will make work even less viable than it is already.

To me the main fault with the system is that it is not sensible to take part time work.

Although the government claims people are better off in work often it just does not pay to take part time work.

Several reasons for this, mainly that all money earned is deducted from benefits,

expenses are not taken into account, and any sort of work attracts attention,

and in a system run by monkeys claims get lost or delayed for months when monkeys start playing with them so it is better to not do anything that invites curiousity.

For Autistic people that find work stressful it is very bad that they have to go into full time employment, it would be much better if they could start slowly, get used to the people and environment and then step up the hours once they felt comfortable.

I think the system should be amended to allow people to keep the first £30 of whatever they earn no questions asked, then a sliding scale up to maybe £100.

Also I think large charities should be able to pay unemployed people who volunteer up to £40 per week.

The main problem we have is with youth unemployment and long term unemployment,

this would enable both groups to get experience, references, and something to put on their CV's.