save our benefits

[longbow]

  Hi

I apologise in advance but as this is a genuine post, I think it is important that everyone sees it and signs the campaign which is at the link below, if that link doesn't work, it should direct you to a new page.
As the original webpage has changed, here is the correct link.

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts

Hi Folks
First let me apologise for sending this very off topic mail, but as many of the members here are disabled in one way or another, I felt it only right that you should read this, and if it doesn't apply to you, it will apply to someone you know, so please don't disregard it before reading it first.
The reason for my haste is that I didn't want to waste any time in making people aware whats going on behind closed doors.

Below is a very disturbing email that was sent to me today from Benefits & Work, a site Sally and myself joined several years ago, and have found very helpful and informative concerning benefits, and your entitlement to them etc. How many of you are getting D L A or Attendance Allowance? A few I would guess. In November a paper is going to be put forward to abolish D L A and A A and put the money into the pockets of the local authorities to be used to pay for services. I for one, am appauled at this, millions of disabled and elderly people will not only be far worse of, they will loose their independance, and will never get the level of care that many of them need and deserve. Another question, how many of you knew about this proposal? Not very many I guess, that is why most people get their benefits cut or taken of them. They are never given prior notice to the papers being submitted, so no one can oppose them. But now we can do something to help, and this is where you come in. One thousand individuals are needed before Benefits & Work can take this forward. and act on behalf of disabled people around Great Britain and the U. K.
THE MORE THE BETTER!! Simply click on this link
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance- <http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-> (dla)/dla-aa-cuts and submit your first name and email address. That's it. So once you have signed it, send it on, as I said, the more, the better.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. If there is a problem with the link let me know.

P.S. as well as sending this to evryone in my address book, I've just contacted local media and the owners of several mailing lists i'm a member of; can i suggest all people living in the UK do the same; you want local radio, TV and newspapers, oh, and i've also sent it to my MP, try that as well.
Send it to anyone you can and lets give the people at benefits and work the support they need to oppose these changes, which will if implimented, cause hardship for tens of thousands of people living in the uk, many of them may be in your own family circle.
David Caldwell.

Origional mailing follows.

Dear Subscriber,

Claimants have just 100 days to prevent their DLA and AA being abolished.

A government green paper has revealed proposals to stop paying 'disability benefits, for example, attendance allowance'' and hand the cash over to social services instead.

Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a 'personal budget' administered by local authorities and used to pay for services - not to spend as they wish.

Once the green paper consultation period ends in 100 days time, if an almighty row has not been raised, it is likely that both major political parties will see the lack of outrage as a green light to end both DLA and AA.

We're looking for a minimum of 1,000 claimants, carers and support workers to join our campaign to save these benefits from being abolished.

Find out how you can take part from this link:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance- <http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-> (dla)/dla-aa-cuts

We know that many people will take false comfort from the fact that, unlike AA, DLA is not specifically named as being for the axe. But if the government was planning only to abolish AA it is extremely unlikely that they would refer constantly throughout the green paper to 'disability benefits', a term which includes not just AA but also DLA.

Others will dismiss this as just another idle discussion document and our concerns as scare mongering.

But it's much more than that.

36 meetings have already been organised around the country for people working in government and the caring professions to meet to be told about the setting up of a new National Care Service which would oversee the system. In addition, a stakeholders panel of more than 50 voluntary sector organisations, trades unions and academics has been established to offer advice to the government.

Some organisations and individuals, such as RNIB and welfare rights worker Neil Bateman writing for Community Care magazine, have already voiced their alarm.

But not every disability organisation is opposed to the proposals and some even agree with them.

In a press release, Disability Alliance has welcomed the publication of the green paper and said that it 'looks forward to working alongside Government and all the other stakeholders in bringing these plans into fruition.' They have even said that they agree that there is a case for 'integrating disability benefits such as attendance allowance' into the new system.

One thing everyone does seem to agree on is that huge cuts in public spending will have to take place in the next few years as a result of the credit crunch and global recession.

Political parties are desperately looking for the softest targets to be the victims of these cuts. Dismissing the green paper's proposals as hot air and not worth worrying about could be the costliest mistake you ever make.

Find out more about the proposed abolition of DLA and AA and how you can join our campaign to fight back:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance- <http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-> (dla)/dla-aa-cuts

Good luck,

Steve Donnison

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(c) 2009 Steve Donnison. All rights reserved.

[Russethouse]

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