Radio 4 and Starmer

The pip and sickness benefits system needs over hauling. Like Cossy, I’ve seen fraud in both. I’ve seen decent hard working people with less disposable income than their neighbours who get e tra benefits due to substance addictions.
We have growing numbers of 18-24 year olds on sickness benefits because of anxiety and depression. Isolating in their. Bedrooms is no solution. The increasing dependence on an unfair system is unsustainable.

Let’s hope Starmer, his ministers and advisors now understand the need to discuss the changes needed with their
MPs

I don't mean to offend you, Maybee70 but point out that those are the decisions that have to be made in order to save money . (and save Rachel Reeves career)

Iam64 it took me 35 years to get disability benefits and I was born disabled. The robots at PIP gave me zero on everything. This was March 2022. The only way I got PIP was the Brain Charity got me a solicitor so I could go to tribunal which I went to in August 2023.

Thankfully a support worker from the charity went with me incase I needed a hand to hold . I didn't think I would win . But the judge apologised for the way I had been treated and awarded me enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility indefinitely. The decision comes on Crown court paper. So the buggers can't take it off me . And the judge backdated it to went I asked for the forms .

I had nothing but money worries since 2004 when my husband died . The money my husband left ran out just as my mom died and got have of her inheritance.

PIP saved me from having no money . As I had worked out that my savings would have run out before I got my state pension last year. Told my daughter who told me they would pay my bills but no way would I have accepted them doing that.

CA helped me get less than £100 pension credit but it meant I got warm home discount from EON and winter fuel allowance. The winter before I only had my heating on 3 hours a day. Which made my neurological condition worse as my limbs are effected and made my heart condition worse.

We are no all frauds . My brother is carer to my sister in law who has MS because he gets his state pension this year. It will be taken off him .And yet my sister in law needs more care and in a wheelchair went out of their bungalow.He will be £2 over to get any pension credit. My sister in gets her state pension in 3 years. She was only awarded enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility 18 months and she had to retire at 52 because she worked for the NHS she got her private pension. But it was taken off her when she married my brother and told she will get it back when she gets her state pension. They have been married 9 years.

Thankfully they said PIP payments will not be taken of us. But next year it will be harder to get PIP.

Whiff, I hope my post didn’t imply everyone claiming pip is a fraud. My point remains that the system needs an overhaul. Not a rush to try and save money, an overhaul. One of the proposals is once granted claimants won’t have to jump through the hoops repeatedly.
We need mh , including drugs/alcohol services rebuilding.
I don’t envy this government faced with all our public services, including the nhs on their knees

Anyone considering a Reform vote needs to look at its policies forensically. Farrage a snake oil salesman and plans to privatise the nhs

MayBee70

Stiff

I'll be voting Reform at the next GE. I don't like Farage but despise Labour. In regard to cutting benefits they need to go after the ones who are claiming fraudulently and those that choose not to work but can.

So can you tell me which Reform policies are the ones that have made you decide to vote for them? I thought the whole point of the Labour reforms are aimed at tackling fraud and helping people get back to work? So what don’t you like about them. Are you not concerned at Reforms apparently interest in private health care?

I think private healthcare may not be such a bad idea, other countries so this and it seems to work, it may be better to prioritise this before Sky subscriptions etc. healthcare is so important and if it delivers prompt treatment may be a price worth paying. Obviously there would need to be a safety net for those unable to do so.

Those who can afford private health care are already making use of it, while still contributing to the NHS.

Teazel2 What happens if one can't afford Sky subscriptions or healthcare?

The important thing imo ( and I thought the government were going to do this) is to educate people from an early age in a healthy lifestyle*. Which I think they’re doing with free breakfasts etc. It will cost more than Sky subscriptions etc to pay for private health care.
*although I must point out that the older I get the more I realise that a lot of awful medical conditions are just downright bad luck .

Luckygirl3

We need higher taxes and more services for everyone, including the resurrection of Sure Start.

Scandinavian countries have high taxes and excellent services. Do the citizens bugger off to low tax countries? No they don't. They have a sense of loyalty and community and understand that you have to pay in to get the benefits.

But dear Thatcher convinced everyone that "there is no such thing as community" and it is every man for himself and profit is god. WE have yet to shake this off.

Starmer is dithering about not wanting to offend the Thatcherite vibe that runs through our society now, rather than getting on and pursuing socialist policies to improve our infrastructure and services - we are just getting a watered down version of what came before. And as for the visuals of going straight for the benefits system and the winter fuel payment ..... does he not have PR advisors who might tell him that this is not a good look for a Labour government? I am surprised he should need telling - his backbenchers are telling him now.

What is the point in my and many other millions of people voting Labour if they do not behave like a Labour government?

I admire his stance on the international stage though - he is playing that one just right I think in the face of lunatics in charge in the US, China, Israel, Russia etc.

This.

The trend over the past 20 years or so is to blame people for their ill health. Yes, there are some things (eg drinking and smoking) that contribute to disease, but a lot of it is genetic or, as has been said, bad luck.

It would make much more sense to increase taxes for all than to restrict healthcare to those who can pay and give it free to those with very little money. As ever, that would disadvantage the ‘squeezed middle’ who are expected to work and pay for everything. If everyone contributes the individual cost would be much lower than the cost of an operation or medication if one is unfortunate enough to need it.

I don’t know how much a Sky subscription costs, but a lot less than private healthcare for someone with pre-existing conditions who is over 60 and is deemed able to ‘afford it’ by others.

We need higher taxes and more services for everyone, including the resurrection of Sure Start.

Scandinavian countries have high taxes and excellent services. Do the citizens bugger off to low tax countries? No they don't. They have a sense of loyalty and community and understand that you have to pay in to get the benefits.

This is exactly the truth of it Luckygirl!

We need to pay higher taxes.

MayBee70

The important thing imo ( and I thought the government were going to do this) is to educate people from an early age in a healthy lifestyle*. Which I think they’re doing with free breakfasts etc. It will cost more than Sky subscriptions etc to pay for private health care.
*although I must point out that the older I get the more I realise that a lot of awful medical conditions are just downright bad luck .

I had a quote recently of £100 per month BUPA which included private GP. It does feel this is the way healthcare is headed.

Doodledog

The trend over the past 20 years or so is to blame people for their ill health. Yes, there are some things (eg drinking and smoking) that contribute to disease, but a lot of it is genetic or, as has been said, bad luck.

It would make much more sense to increase taxes for all than to restrict healthcare to those who can pay and give it free to those with very little money. As ever, that would disadvantage the ‘squeezed middle’ who are expected to work and pay for everything. If everyone contributes the individual cost would be much lower than the cost of an operation or medication if one is unfortunate enough to need it.

I don’t know how much a Sky subscription costs, but a lot less than private healthcare for someone with pre-existing conditions who is over 60 and is deemed able to ‘afford it’ by others.

It does feel that higher taxes will just be absorbed though, with no improvement in healthcare.

Why do you say that Teazel? Waiting times for hospital are reducing

Possibly Scandinavian countries have faith or even see, that their higher taxes are actually going to the services that they need.

Mandatory Social Insurance:
Germany has a compulsory long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung).

Germany has a mandatory social insurance system for long-term care, meaning most residents pay into a fund that helps cover the costs of care for those who need it.

Paying higher taxes is not as easy as it sounds.

What it really means in the UK, is that the poorest may or may not pay tax out of the little they earn or the benefits they get.
The middle will be squeezed of every last drop they have,
and the better off will find ways to avoid paying.

Maybe we just aren't very accepting of the "social good"?

We are perhaps thinking more of ourselves?

Family in Sweden are happy to pay.

Here in France everyone is expected to pay top-up insurance, apart from those whose income is below the threshold. Serious and long-term illnesses are funded at 100% for everyone. The top-up insurance company payments are regulated by the state.

NotSpaghetti

Maybe we just aren't very accepting of the "social good"?

We are perhaps thinking more of ourselves?

Family in Sweden are happy to pay.

Indeed the concept of the social good has gone out the window here. I want to hear Starmer standing up and saying we all need to care for and about each other and that in order to do that we have to pay.

There is no "vision" for people to get behind as they did Thatcher's destructive individualism. A new vision is what iis needed, but no party has the courage to make this happen.

Mamie

Here in France everyone is expected to pay top-up insurance, apart from those whose income is below the threshold. Serious and long-term illnesses are funded at 100% for everyone. The top-up insurance company payments are regulated by the state.

Mamie I have a few of questions (genuinely interested):

Do those on a state pension have to pay the top up insurance or is it just working age people?

Do the top insurance premiums vary person to person e.g. will someone with a pre-existing illness pay more than a ‘fit, healthy’ person?

Do premiums increase if / when someone becomes ill?

Are all long term & serious illnesses covered 100%. Who defines ‘serious / long term’?

Thanks in advance🙏

Iam64

The pip and sickness benefits system needs over hauling. Like Cossy, I’ve seen fraud in both. I’ve seen decent hard working people with less disposable income than their neighbours who get e tra benefits due to substance addictions.
We have growing numbers of 18-24 year olds on sickness benefits because of anxiety and depression. Isolating in their. Bedrooms is no solution. The increasing dependence on an unfair system is unsustainable.

Let’s hope Starmer, his ministers and advisors now understand the need to discuss the changes needed with their
MPs

👏👏👏👏

I have some questions too:-

Mamie What is the current rate/s of Income Tax and do you pay National Insurance.

Teazel What exactly is covered by BUPA for £100 a month? That seems incredibly low? How old are you and are you in perfect health?

Last time I had BUPA cover (as a work “benefit”), it was worth £400 a month, it did not cover any pre-existing conditions and had an excess. I just cannot see how BUPA can offer a service such as this for £100 a month?

Cossy

I have some questions too:-

Mamie What is the current rate/s of Income Tax and do you pay National Insurance.

Teazel What exactly is covered by BUPA for £100 a month? That seems incredibly low? How old are you and are you in perfect health?

Last time I had BUPA cover (as a work “benefit”), it was worth £400 a month, it did not cover any pre-existing conditions and had an excess. I just cannot see how BUPA can offer a service such as this for £100 a month?

I was also thinking that the £100 per month for BUPA seems very low, Cossy … interested to know what it covers🤔

LizzieDrip

Mamie

Here in France everyone is expected to pay top-up insurance, apart from those whose income is below the threshold. Serious and long-term illnesses are funded at 100% for everyone. The top-up insurance company payments are regulated by the state.

Mamie I have a few of questions (genuinely interested):

Do those on a state pension have to pay the top up insurance or is it just working age people?

Do the top insurance premiums vary person to person e.g. will someone with a pre-existing illness pay more than a ‘fit, healthy’ person?

Do premiums increase if / when someone becomes ill?

Are all long term & serious illnesses covered 100%. Who defines ‘serious / long term’?

Thanks in advance🙏

We pay because our income from pensions is above the threshold
The amount goes up as you get older, but they cannot discriminate (and have no knowledge of (pre-existing conditions.)
They cannot increase premiums if people become ill and they do not have access to the information). If it is a serious illness (Affection Longue Durée) then the state pays 100%. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc. These are defined by the state funded cover from the Assurance Maladie.
There are levels of premiums from basic hospitalisation to cover for glasses, hearing aids etc.
The state pays 70% and the top- up 30% apart from in the case of an ALD.
For example, I consult my dermatologist I pay her directly, the state refunds 70% and my top-up insurance 30%.

Just out of interest here is my quote, from today, from BUPA, as a single 66 year old, with no medical conditions (and I do actually have multiple issues, as does my husband) with an excess of £250.

Incidentally, remember medication costs probably won’t be covered under any private health scheme and I have 5 different medications each month and my husband has 6, current all “free”. These costs alone would cripple us!

Just in case the image takes forever to load the quote was £222.48, covering all treatments, all diagnosis, and cancer with access to a virtual GP.