I think this could be quite hard to calculate b/c of largely hidden ‘disability taxes’. These are seen in myriad things like having to buy more expensive pre-chopped veg because of motor difficulties, having to buy 10 different types of socks before finding one that’s sensorially comfortable - ThreadSky

drjobillington.bsky.social • 9 days ago

I think this could be quite hard to calculate b/c of largely hidden ‘disability taxes’. These are seen in myriad things like having to buy more expensive pre-chopped veg because of motor difficulties, having to buy 10 different types of socks before finding one that’s sensorially comfortable

Comments

jojohutchinson.bsky.social•9 days ago

I get that there will be a lot of seemingly small (but vital) things that are difficult to quantify. I wonder how much is simply mopping up other public service failures. And when the cuts come, those needs will just reappear in other budgets, or escalate until they meet the new threshold anyway.

jojohutchinson.bsky.social•9 days ago

I’m deeply sceptical that the cuts will even achieve their budgetary aims. Because you can’t magic away people’s disabilities or their needs.

drjobillington.bsky.social•9 days ago

I agree. In my own personal experience, my son’s benefits were spent on occupational therapy - something he was entitled to on the NHS but could never access due to a lack of service in our area

isabellefk.bsky.social•9 days ago

Agreed. Also things like dropping a stressful shift so you can pace yourself (eg from a CF perspective) and hopefully be able to do another demanding activity (eg attend a GP appt or phone NHS 111)

kathrynlewis.bsky.social•9 days ago

And being able to make these adjustments reduces potential burnout, surely making it more, not less, possible to be in work? Targeting PIP makes no sense to me at all.

jojohutchinson.bsky.social•9 days ago

Yes there’s all this narrative about work incentives (which has nothing to do with PIPS) and nothing about ability to work and what promotes that (which does have to do with PIPS; also non-functioning healthcare).

isabellefk.bsky.social•9 days ago

Totally. You use a lot of energy navigating a GP appt. Even explaining non-urgent issues in persuasive sentences to gatekeepers (eg GP receptionists) is a huge ask. So I guess the PIP (££ = R&R) offsets a little of that laggy/patchy/poor/inaccessible NHS provision?

jojohutchinson.bsky.social•9 days ago

I once had to persuade them to give me a double appointment because I was in crisis and good grief that’s something you don’t need when you are in crisis.

I was trying to respect the GP’s schedule by not running over but you’d think I’d asked if I could burn the building down.

isabellefk.bsky.social•9 days ago

Ugh. I’m so sorry. It feels as though the disabled/ill person has to do the salaried professional’s cognitive work in a kind of inverse relationship to the level of care they need 😑

isabellefk.bsky.social•9 days ago

Work eg taking the GP’s appt schedule, capacity etc into consideration

drjobillington.bsky.social•9 days ago

So true. Focussing solely on ‘getting disabled ppl back to work’ without considering the associated costs of societal disablement is ignorant in the extreme

drjobillington.bsky.social•9 days ago

The govt is basing its decisions on an erroneous version of the medical model - i.e. that disability is located in the person, rather than adopting a social model approach which recognises how a lack of societal adjustments and supports creates/exacerbates disablement.

isabellefk.bsky.social•9 days ago

💯. Very sad and very worrying.

kathrynlewis.bsky.social•9 days ago

Agreed. And the narrative being pushed that "people just don't want to work" is so dangerous and othering, and detracts from what's genuinely important (like functioning healthcare, accessible and accepting workplaces, and genuinely listening to disabled people)

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply