× Search rightsnet
Search options

Where

Benefit

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

From

to

Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

increasing the number of waiting days from 3 to seven

stevenmcavoy
forum member

Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland

Send message

Total Posts: 871

Joined: 22 August 2013

currently a call for evidence being ran on this that I am working on responding to.  I don’t think I need to post where I will be going with this on here!

I have read through the equality impact assessment and there appears to be no mention of the fact that this change will impact disproportionately on disabled claimants.

the additional impact I am referring to coming from these claimants entitlement to premiums like the disability premium or enhanced premium in esa meaning that overall they will lose more money than other claimants.

looking for thoughts on how successful a challenge might around this change on the basis of discrimination?

I am really annoyed that the equality impact assessment has by passed this fact.

stevenmcavoy
forum member

Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland

Send message

Total Posts: 871

Joined: 22 August 2013

link to the call for evidence http://ssac.independent.gov.uk/consultations/

Andrew Dutton
forum member

Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

Send message

Total Posts: 1964

Joined: 12 October 2012

The thinking behind this idea is extremely sloppy for a wide variety of reasons. I suspect it is being done because it will look ‘tough on scroungers’ whereas the real impact will be on the worst-off - and yes, people with disabilities are right in the firing-line. As usual. And the equality impact assessment is a joke.

stevenmcavoy
forum member

Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland

Send message

Total Posts: 871

Joined: 22 August 2013

Andrew Dutton - 05 June 2014 01:13 PM

The thinking behind this idea is extremely sloppy for a wide variety of reasons. I suspect it is being done because it will look ‘tough on scroungers’ whereas the real impact will be on the worst-off - and yes, people with disabilities are right in the firing-line. As usual. And the equality impact assessment is a joke.

they have actually said benefits shouldn’t be for people with a short term need!

also, people will be coming from well paid jobs so they don’t need the money anyway.

I don’t know about others but if I were to lose my job for any reason I would be in a financial struggle from the word go. its pretty hard to put money by when other government policies mean your likely to be stuck in expensive private sector accommodation and up against a soaring cost of living.

stevenmcavoy
forum member

Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland

Send message

Total Posts: 871

Joined: 22 August 2013

“benefits are not intended to provide financial support for very brief breaks in employment or periods of sickness” and that “The aim of the policy is also to discourage people from claiming benefit when they only have a short gap between jobs or a short period of sickness. But if claimants have no job to go to, the increase in waiting days will encourage them to claim more quickly..”

this is a quote from the dwp’s explanation for this change.  its apparently a barrier and an incentive to claim at the same time.

does this technically count as a fallacy or not?

its almost as good as the ‘just because the appeal was allowed doesn’t mean the decision was wrong’ school of thought.