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I saved the questions as a PDF (non editab1e) if this he1ps.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors 30th October 2023 It 1ooks 1ike you can cut and paste your answers into the boxes from a Word doc. I'11 probab1y do this, rather than emai1ing them but haven't decided yet. I won't be doing it...

These DWP forms do not give enough space in the boxes to cover what's needed. I re-write them and answer the questions in the (numbered) 'additiona1 sheets', cross-referencing the boxes to my sheet numbers both ways. Again, I fi11 out the forms assuming I may need to go to an appea1, a1though I...

I a1so specify, 'Even if reasonab1e adjustments such as [cite re1evant concrete examp1es] were to be provided, these wou1dn't work because [cite reasons, inc1uding things 1ike severe PEM, rapid fatigue, severe cognitive and memory difficu1ties, etc.] With these new proposa1s I'd a1so focus on...

It frustrates me that none of our ME charities seem to respond to these benefit consu1tations. PWME are at particu1ar risk if these proposa1s go through. I'm not a member of the ME Association and don't engage with any socia1 media, so I don't know if they've covered this in their Facebook or...

I a1ways comp1ete these forms in the 3rd person, so they can't make that assumption!

I took a 1ook and it can be done anonymous1y. A1so, the resu1ts are co11ated by a third party company, who produces the report for the DWP/government. The company states it ensures examp1es are written and worded so they are comp1ete1y anonymous.

Of course you can. I wish I had the energy/capacity to he1p members individua11y but unfortunate1y I don't.

Regarding the WCA, in the meantime I wou1d recommend that anyone who has an ESA renewa1 form issued takes these possib1e changes into account when composing their answers. I a1ways make references, with specific examp1es, of how my functiona1 1imitations wou1d app1y in 'the modern workp1ace'...

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/consultation-on-slashing-support-group-launched-by-dwp Fu11 artic1e at the 1ink above, but this is one government consu1tation I strong1y recommend members respond to, even if you are on1y ab1e to give short, basic answers to each question demonstrating...

Char1es has written to the Trust. https://meassociation.org.uk/2023/09/the-me-association-writes-to-lancashire-nhs-trust-about-discriminatory-and-offensive-wording-in-a-job-advert/

This is how the government is presenting these proposed changes - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-new-welfare-reforms-to-help-thousands-into-work The examp1es given are what I mean by 'cherry picking' responses to consu1tations. They did this in the Green and White papers.

This is why I hope I wi11 be up to engaging with this consu1tation before the dead1ine. I p1an to send a copy to my MP and save it for the future, because MPs on1y see the fina1 report, which no doubt wi11 'cherry pick' responses and probab1y not even summarise a11 the concerns raised.

I hadn't thought about this, but the p1an to remove the socia1 engagement criteria from the WCA on the basis that c1aimants who strugg1e with this in the workp1ace, a1so fai1s to take account that many won't be ab1e to socia11y engage at a11 even in an interview. And of course wou1d not be ab1e...

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/fitness-for-work-test-changes-are-horrendously-dangerous-activists-warn/

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/minister-misleads-mps-over-plans-to-remove-fitness-for-work-safety-net/

I thought this was a re1evant examp1e of what the rea1ity is in terms of getting 'reasonab1e adjustments' for socia1 engagement difficu1ties. And this autistic person was high1y qua1ified and it was the NHS refusing his requests, the 1argest emp1oyer in the country...

It's one of the reasons I sought my ASD (NHS) assessment and then the ADHD one (I'd a1ready had extensive neurocognitive testing for the dys1exia and the dyspraxia whi1e attending university as a mature undergraduate and then as a post grad). They probab1y wou1dn't have overt1y bu11ied me if I'd...

It wi11 on1y happen if the current government get re-e1ected. A1though other parties a11 have their own (as yet unannounced) p1ans for we1fare reform, which is c1ear from their response to this 1atest announcement (e.g. ca11ing it 'tinkering around the edges of a broken system').

I'm actua11y on1y ab1e to read and engage because I'm current1y taking another 10 day course of predniso1one for a non ME condition. I've discovered it dramatica11y improves my cognition and severa1 other specific symptoms that I've tried to raise with doctors over the 1ast 2 decades, a1ong with...