Worring times for all those in treatment more so those whom have been effected by drug related illnesses such as duel diagnoses HCV HIV, with the govement trying to get the green papaer passed with as little attention drawn to them as possible. those whom are in need of the DLA due to unduring illness are not only now being told they will be re assessed for their beneifts but will also have their DLA paid direct to the socail service, surely the person with the illness known their needs best and how to manage them . I know that DLA is not accounted into any benefits claims for tax or rent but everyone knowns that after being on a income for so long people depend on this and get credit knowing they can aford to pay. if a person with HIV needs a new fridge will the solcail service let them buy one out of their care , I dont think so but wail managing their own care moblity they can,make informed choice to what benefits their hjealth both physical & mental. no wounder I'm at present unendated with clients whom are in fear of the futare of drug & alcohol treatment and the policies that are widely effecting them with no consultation even done with those whom are going to be most effected by both the welfare reform & the green paper DLA AA.

Tom,
Do you have a link to this? I think a problem is that many people have been on DLA who should never have got it. I do beleive that many people can work and sitting on benifits doesn't help people get better.

I wonder if you might be able to apply to have an individualised budget? its being piloted in some areas at the moment

but don't forget that DLA is different - it is the only none means tested benefit so you can work and get DLA etc. I agree Simon that a few have been wrongly given but very few but its all bonkers at mo cause no jobs but sitting on benefits is damaging to your health

Because of the recent changes many people who should get maximum benefits and DLA have been forced to have recheck / reapply etc - its a lot of work for us helping with the appeal etc for people who clearly are unable to work

There is a real problem with the concept of 'unable to work'. In a recession those with any form of disability will find it harder to find work that is satisfying. That does not mean they should not try.
The current GP sickness forms are too wide in their scope but any replacement is very hard to produce. I sign people as unfit to work until assessed by the employment advisory service.

I disagree with Chris that only a few people are inappropriatley on DLA. There are many who could/should work if they made reasonable alterations to their lifestyle. They have a personal choice to make. Those working in the drug field should encourage and support their patients/clients to move towards work and away from benefits

I thought Paul Hayes' (he of the NTA) comments on 'back to work' initiatives in DDN were interesting - a) that it will take most clients between several months and a few years to get 'job ready' and we could hope that by that time the economy will also be in recovery b) The DWP and jobcentre plus are switched on and keen to help. To me this is useful, because it gives it all a bit more purpose if we have a prospect of a good outcome.

I have seen a number of cases, often in the dual diagnosis setting where DLA can seem paradoxically to have become a curse - people with money can be vulnerable to ending up supporting other people's habits. A wheelchair bound muscular dystrophy patient felt he had to support people so he could score, and living in a ground floor flat at the bottom of an inner city tower block, he was beseiged for weeks once he had detoxed, before they finally gave up knocking.

I am not going to comment about whether or not the majority of people should be on DLA. The bottom line is that we can't afford to write anybody off, even those who are genuinely disabled can benefit from having a sense of purpose and contribution, however that is gained.

Is this where volunteering and / or study come in ? Don't want to sound as if I am in cloud cuckoo land, but even on DLA there is scope to do something, and perhaps given a taster of another way of living people can move towards meaningful lives. Recession or not, there is still a need for all sorts of voluntary and community work, which may increase a chance of employment when the opportunity arises. And increase the connection with others. Probably hard when ( for whatever reasons ) you are used to being solitary and have little esteem, but many people have taken this route into a different life.