Wes Streeting's move against autism - NAS - time to step up

Lets have some numbers.

The benefits bill is not sustainable, so either it has to be cut for everyone or it has to get more selective.

1 in 10 working age people get disability or incapacity benefits, having risen by around a third in 6 years, and over 60% in the last 22 years.

44% are for mental health or behavioural issues.

75.1% of the working age population work (people aged 16-64), which is 34.22 million, or 49%.

So each working person is feeding, housing, 2 people.

Also 53.3% of the population costs more than they put in. 

60% of all personal tax comes from 10% of the population, some of whom are leaving.

One of the papers the other day pointed out that for a couple with 3 children living on benefits, they would have to earn £71,000 between the to be worth working. This is unreasonable.

Motability is the biggest provider of cars now I believe, including providing luxury cars with tax payer subsidies, although this is now being stopped.

I would stake all my savings on there being corruption too.

This does not not mean I am against help for those that need it.

For those on work, if you are out for more than 3 months I think for a mental health issues, the chances of working again drop. I sone European countries intervention is much quicker and people stay in work.

Children are not served by waiting years for a diagnosis.

An investigation, based on data, is a good thing to find out what is going on. If more resources are needed to enable more people to be productive, that is a good thing and is brings the cost down and allows those who need help to be supported without cuts.

The most common reason for a sickness claim has become ASD and ADHD apparently.

I do not believe, neither did my consultant, that some of the online diagnosis places that charge little and do it in one phone call can be doing a thorough or reliable job. You would have to be naive to think no-one is gaming the system. This helps nobody. I have sone other suspicions, but I can't substantiate them so will not say anything.

So in summary, to block any investigation is to block improvement in access and will result in a reduction in money per person.

If everything is above board, then it will have to lead to more accommodation and help to get people into work. Which many would consider a good thing too.

Stuart333 said:

One of the papers the other day pointed out that for a couple with 3 children living on benefits, they would have to earn £71,000 between the to be worth working. This is unreasonable.

Firstly to quote the Daily Mail or other right wing tabloids is really poor. Has it been independently verified? If that paper and others said the sky was orange would you believe it?

Secondly I think this is more of Labour's appeal to reform voters. This country is becoming a right leaning populist country controlled by the media. Look at the attacks on the budget over what nothing of real substance. The media controls the agenda and pushes what it wants. I have been watching sky news recently and have been really disappointed in its direction of travel. It is now pushing a right leaning agenda at every opportunity.

Now lets get to the crux of the debate: There is no overdiagnosis of autism. When in my fifties I was diagnosed when I had never considered the possibility before but after doing some reading I was astounded that it described me. I could have continued masking in ignorance but going through burnout after burnout is not good for this older gents health. I wish I had never considered this as I have now lost my lifelong career down to discrimination. So tell me who is at fault here. The over diagnosis of autism?

This claptrap of the over diagnosis mantra is going to feed more bias and discrimination and the ND community is the only real sufferers in the long term.

You can't state as a fact there is no over diagnosis. You don't know, neither do I. A report into the facts will show this. How is it bad if this is formally laid to rest?

The suspicion is there and is only going to get worse till it is proven wrong.

And if proven wrong, then more support has to provided to help people work, as I mentioned.

The IMF has questioned the benefits bill. It is not sustainable. If I remember correctly even the guardian has pointed this out. 

The £71k figure is true and has not been disputed. It may have been mentioned in the House, but not sure about that. It is of course cherry picked but serves to illustrate a point that we have a problem.

It comes from the Centre for Social Justice.

The figure of £71,000 is the pre-tax income a working family would need to achieve the same after-tax income as a non-working household receiving a comprehensive package of benefits. The CSJ analysis specifies the jobless household is receiving: 

• -Average rates of Universal Credit (UC)
• The housing element of UC
• Health benefits, specifically the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 

The inclusion of the non-means-tested PIP, which is a disability benefit, significantly increases the total amount and often makes the household exempt from the overall benefit cap. 

The problem is partly that everyone living in the country can use the health service, therefore could end up with a diagnosis. Really the government wants to get as many people with mental health issues back to work so it can start taxing them otherwise they exist outside the net.

So true - it’s incredibly difficult to get PIP for mental health problems and neurodivergence. And people are experiencing real poverty - they’re not living it large on generous benefits. The cost of food, heating and rent are off the scale. 

I believe the application form format and criteria are flawed, and the assessment process is flawed, so some in genuine need miss out. 

Robert124 said:

And the number of homeless people begging on my city streets is shocking.  If they were getting full benefits they would be housed.  Instead I see people with missing limbs and wheelchairs sleeping rough in shop doorways.

I can’t speak for the homeless people you see, but I know that in my area there aren’t enough affordable homes for everyone. Many people have mental health conditions and some have escaped complicated domestic situations and can’t return home. Others have addictions and many just need a helping hand to get them into suitable accommodation. Quite a few have been in in the care of social services since early childhood and their support ended in early adulthood, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and ill equipped to navigate complicated social support systems.

I don't know where it goes .

This year the disability benefits bill is £75.3bn which includes PIP, out of total welfare budget of 316bn (forecast to go over 400bn in 4 years).

Pip is probably about 23bn of the 75bn, but no separate number is available. Up from 15bn in 2020.

As you have said it is cherry picked. The inclusion of non-means tested PIP is a significant leap in the dark. Working people claim PIP as well.

It is not a lifestyle benefit but is there to enable disabled people to live and afford the higher costs of being disabled.

I agree about the motability scheme being used as a cash cow for the providers and needs reform. For many it is a lifeline.

Where are all these people claiming pip.  I've applied twice. 2019 and this year and got zero points both times.  Yet I have severe mental problems.

And the number of homeless people begging on my city streets is shocking.  If they were getting full benefits they would be housed.  Instead I see people with missing limbs and wheelchairs sleeping rough in shop doorways.

Where are all these people claiming pip.  I've applied twice. 2019 and this year and got zero points both times.  Yet I have severe mental problems.

And the number of homeless people begging on my city streets is shocking.  If they were getting full benefits they would be housed.  Instead I see people with missing limbs and wheelchairs sleeping rough in shop doorways.

The problem is partly that everyone living in the country can use the health service, therefore could end up with a diagnosis. Really the government wants to get as many people with mental health issues back to work so it can start taxing them otherwise they exist outside the net.

So true - it’s incredibly difficult to get PIP for mental health problems and neurodivergence. And people are experiencing real poverty - they’re not living it large on generous benefits. The cost of food, heating and rent are off the scale. 

I believe the application form format and criteria are flawed, and the assessment process is flawed, so some in genuine need miss out. 

Robert124 said:

And the number of homeless people begging on my city streets is shocking.  If they were getting full benefits they would be housed.  Instead I see people with missing limbs and wheelchairs sleeping rough in shop doorways.

I can’t speak for the homeless people you see, but I know that in my area there aren’t enough affordable homes for everyone. Many people have mental health conditions and some have escaped complicated domestic situations and can’t return home. Others have addictions and many just need a helping hand to get them into suitable accommodation. Quite a few have been in in the care of social services since early childhood and their support ended in early adulthood, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and ill equipped to navigate complicated social support systems.

I don't know where it goes .

This year the disability benefits bill is £75.3bn which includes PIP, out of total welfare budget of 316bn (forecast to go over 400bn in 4 years).

Pip is probably about 23bn of the 75bn, but no separate number is available. Up from 15bn in 2020.