The UK Government has put out a call for evidence regarding benefits levels in the UK for working age people. You have until Wednesday 3rd May 2023 to submit your evidence.
This is ANY benefit for working age people, including disability benefits.
Just not things such as pensions for example, which aren’t for working age people.
If you are disabled, I would love it if you could fill it in.
The website tells you the kind of thing they are looking for, but basically it is a written statement by yourself about why you think benefits aren’t good enough.
I am more campaigning for better disability benefits as we are the ones that get the worst support from the government, so disabled people, tell them what you think. Tell them why disability benefits needs to be better with less rules about things such as national insurance credits requirements which is ridiculous.
I personally have already because, as you might know I live on a poverty income of just over £300 a month total income from PIP and I can’t get a penny more (I get credits only ESA which gives me just National Insurance credits for 3 years).
You can read the article here and submit your evidence on that same page.
This could really help a lot of disabled people, if other disabled people said how bad it is right now.
For myself, I think they need to change the rules about ESA as disabled people who qualify should get the money and shouldn’t be excluded due to national insurance credits!
I need multiple FULL years of NI credits (half a year – 0) to get the money of ESA, so now I just get NI credits only until I get years and years of NI credits.
I had to do the same application and assessment as everyone else, I just don’t get the money, nor do I get any of the money for the cost of living crisis such as I don’t get the £650 for disabled people because of this.
To make it worse, as I signed up part way through a year, I lose that whole year of NI credits as half a year means nothing unless you can manually pay to top up the rest of the years credits.
So I lose a whole year of credits as I signed up part way meaning I need another year on top on what I already needed all because of these rules.
I worked part time instead of quitting and that means I didn’t pay enough national insurance so can’t get ESA until I earn enough NI credits which is multiple years of credits to get the money.
Even though I quality and completed the assessments etc. Madness!
This is why I live in poverty on a little over £300 a month and why I ask for help so much as I can’t get by without help.
This is why I can’t afford to leave here and live on my own or share a house etc, because a little over £300 a month doesn’t cover rent, bills, council tax, food, heating etc. I am forced to be homeless or here where I stay for minimal costs due to kindness. If I wasn’t here, I would be homeless and I will be one day.
This is why things need to change!
You could always suggest the things I am speaking about.
Such as saying that people shouldn’t need multiple years of NI credits to get ESA if they qualify otherwise.
Or the fact those who are married also get screwed over as their partners income is taken into account.
Disability benefits should be for all UK citizens who are legal, lived here long enough, worked at some point, aren’t a millionaire, and are disabled. That should be it!
But give any evidence you can as this could help many people!
Really appreciate anyone that fills it in.
Links:
Call for evidence
Submit your evidence
Reminder that you have until Wednesday 3rd May 2023 to submit your evidence
If you wish to help me out, you can in lots of ways as shown on my support me page.
I can’t get by without support as my poverty income doesn’t cover the cost of living so I have no heating and not enough food and this is every single day I struggle.
