Darren

Wickford Auto club /mcac Taga Rally 22 May marshals needed see wwwmcac.co.uk

@csimichael @DisRightsUK Yep & some MPs dont belive such thing as someone with health condition or disbility & all should be in work regardless & have said that some people make things up to be off work & to claim benefits

@DisRightsUK I feel the whole thing is designed to stitch up disabled people. Is there even an easy read version?

🚨 New call for evidence for Timms Review 🚨 We strongly encourage Disabled people to share their thoughts on PIP. We believe that nothing short of a new benefit system with a new ethos of dignity, respect, trust and support is needed. Read more 👇 disabilityrightsuk.org/news/new-call-…

@Feargal_Sharkey why are thes getting away with it in 21st centry why they not investing & profit so much

"Sixteen schools forced to close over ongoing water supply issues." Yet another water company to add to the ever growing list of companies that can't do the most basis job of all, supply water to their customers. gbnews.com/news/oxford-ne…

@MartinSLewis @Ed_Miliband Hi Martin any advise Octopus E do not seam lisen/understand my learning disbility as i cant fill in forms online/on phone tho keep tell seek step change or fill out financal frm by phone as in debt Thks Darren

Just got off the phone after @Ed_Miliband called to discuss in detail the problems people are facing with domestic energy bills and heating oil. Here's what I fed through - your feedback would be useful... 1. HEATING OIL: This is the most immediate concern as many, often in rural areas or N. Ireland, are refuelling their tanks. Prices have rocketed, a few even suggest they've nearly doubled in a week. My biggest concerns are... a) Those who can't afford the new price b) Lack of specific regulation as heating oil isn't covered by Ofgem (though that's a longer-term issue) c) Some have anecdotally reported existing booked-in orders being cancelled, and being asked to rebook at much higher prices. I want to firm up whether this is widespread... I'd like to hear specific examples of how much prices are rising, especially of point c) and will pass them through to the Department for Energy. 2. CONSUMER GAS & ELECTRICITY BILLS: This is less imminent, but a potential ticking cost time-bomb. I'm focused on the Eng, Scot & Welsh system here... - In the short term: Most bills are protected from the spike in wholesale energy prices as the Energy Price Cap is set based on a significant time-lag. In fact it is locked in to DROP 6.7% in April. Those not on the Price Cap are mainly on existing fixes (which, due to unprecedented prior policy changes, will see most suppliers cut existing fix rates on 1 April, typically by 7% to 9%) so are also price protected for now. One current concern is the lack of availability of cheap fixes. While that's frustrating, in the short term it means those whose existing fixes are ending, will just (hopefully temporarily) need to move on to the Price Cap. There are also a minority of homes who are immediately affected, eg, those on time-of-use tariffs. These include Octopus Agile & Tracker, which move half-hourly or daily with wholesale rates. These are sophisticated user tariffs, and if necessary people have the short term option to switch back to a Price Cap tariff (though do check for restrictions on how long before you can switch back). So while none of that is great, it isn't crisis point. - The end of May is likely crunch time: This is usually when the next Price Cap (July to Sept) is announced. It currently seems very likely it will rise, though just how much all depends on how long lived the current energy price spike is. Yet the key is whether wholesale rates have dropped back down or not by that point. If they have, while the Price Cap rise will annoy many, it won't be critical for most for two reasons i) The July to Sept Price Cap is usually the lowest use period. So, even if typical use rose £200/yr, in practice this'd just be, at a guess, an extra £30 to £40 paid over the period. If by then wholesale rates are down, a substantial cut would be expected for the next (Oct) Cap. ii) The rate new fixes are set at is based on wholesale rates, so if wholesale rates have dropped by then, the big push should be to get people off the Price Cap and onto fixes which could possibly look to be 20%+ cheaper, avoiding any price hike. That should then leave only those unwilling or unable to switch paying more - the latter is an issue the govt would need to concern itself with at that point. Yet if rates haven't dropped back down by May, and it looks like it'll stay high so the October Price Cap will rise too, and no cheap fixes are available, then things get into real problem territory. The government needs to be (and I suspect is starting to) planning now for that eventuality in case more hard-core intervention is needed. Martin PS I said I'd be off socials for the weekend, as normal, but thought this was worth coming back on for. I'm now resuming my weekend break from socials.

Anyone can become disabled at any time. Your life can change in an instant, no matter how strong and healthy you think you are. People will leave you. Funds will dry up. Life will get tougher. It’s not a moral failing. It’s a minority group you can join anytime.

Berkshire Motor Show 5th July Prospect Prk Reading berksiremotorshow.co.uk bookings now being taken visit our website Local Bands, Car clubs Performers

@RichardGCorbett Richard how is this allowed to happen gov/HRMC should had seezed all assists inc properties its a joke & shows what a loughing stock the country is

Sickening that ex Tory peer Michelle Mone & husband can put their company into liquidation and so avoid repaying the money illicitly obtained through a corrupt contract, avoid tax, escape paying damages, while continuing their millionaire lifestyle theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/d…

@Tush27J should had seezed all assists inc properties stupid gov

A BLOODY DISGRACE PPE Medpro, company linked to Michelle Mone goes into liquidation, still owing the government £148 Mn from duff PPE. M'Lady Mone & her husband Doug Barrowman recently purchased a £10 Mn home on the USA's billionaire island. #MichelleMone #CovidInquiry

@johnpringdns also call for prepayment cards & payments made directly for things that people might need & not into people bank accounts so the money be spent on right things & not hols & presents

Labour ministers considered means-testing #PIP, but later ruled it out, watchdog’s report shows #FOIA #Labour #DWP disabilitynewsservice.com/labour-ministe…

@Feargal_Sharkey Yet bills increees this should change

"South East Water boss David Hinton doesn’t want to resign after 24,000 Tunbridge Wells homes and businesses left without water." Last year David Hinton was paid £457,534 the year before £440,472 the year before that £417,483. Maybe that's got something to do with it. kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-well…

@bipocdnerdgirl Hi same with most benefits making harder & more complex

Applying for PIP feels like a game of chicken. The DWP keep putting the pressure on, hoping disabled people will give up, drop out, or disappear. Endless forms, delays, reassessments - not support, but pressure. They push you to through hoops to breaking point. It makes me deeply sad knowing that many people out there can't get what they deserve because they struggle so much to make it to the end point.

@DRDisabilityReb yep as amounts up with UC housing benefit xtra help also not sure why like UC keeps going up as not ment to be a liveing wadge

@unojen_wood Realy

The continuous lying of MP's about disability benefits, PIP and the mobility scheme HAS TO STOP. Interviewers should research these topics and TELL them they are lying live on air and any media promoting those lies should be reported.

@RachelCDailey YEt gov/dwp want tho have health & disbility into work not make sense

@jasonplato Hi Jason if your free on Wed 17th Dec mcac end yr meet at the Ace Cafe Lon celebration of our club 150 yrs event 2026 Berks Motor Show 4th July Prospect prk Reading Charities biggest free Motor event in south look 4 support Thks Darren events Team

So Ladies and Gents, I will be launching Club Plato before Xmas which will have 2 tiers. FOC and Paid FOC will get monthly newsletters, and all press releases. Paid £100 per year before Feb 1st, will get, exclusive founding member cap, discount on all merch, membership card to accrue points to redeem and access to the Club Plato Fan Zone Details coming soon on plato.racing

@Tush27J realy sums it up thes MPs people should be taken to court utter disgrace

Matt Hancock, Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson. There are no words to describe my disgust towards this trio of liars #CovidInquiry

@johnpringdns The dwp seam change things to suit them no rules regard uk hols taken but seam to now use how aford a hols & benefits not to help with hols tho i said hols help with mental health dwp wouldnt say tho i do work pt plus dwp not move appointments am in support group no need findwork

Next April’s cuts to out-of-work disability benefits are likely to have “devastating” consequences for disabled people’s mental health, and drive many into serious poverty, research into the impact of similar Conservative reforms has warned. #DWP disabilitynewsservice.com/labour-cuts-to…

@johnpringdns Hi my job centre refused help me due not being on UC was on ESA that got stop due going on hols in uk had an apointment dwp refused move it & said you choise to go on hols then up u if return 4 an apointment plus rules plus said if can aford go away then maybe not need esa

@barnaclebum6 Gov have no clue on how people with health/disbility struggle & cope MPs ,PM & co in gov need get out of parlament & into real world & communates

What we have learned after 15 years of universal credit – and what must change bigissue.com/opinion/univer… IMO those in Power have learned nothing when it comes to providing a safety net fit for use. Universal Credit was introduced to punish, control & belittle. It is a cruel system.

@Kritchnot @UKLabour well i have disbilitys & was made redundant few yrs ago & due not being on UC my local job centre refused help told me seek CAB/family or friend i seek a charity that funded by gov not make sense i was on old ESA

But @UKLabour is going to get all those disabled & sick "NEETS" into a job? theguardian.com/business/2025/…

@DisRightsUK @theipaper i have disbility /health & find very hard the fact that not on UC due to inharihance the local job centre refused help me i had to seek help though a charity that funding through gov not make sense as i wanted to work no surport its a joke

🗣️“Cutting support does not lead to people getting work. Those of us pushed into work by cuts will end up in precarious jobs, we will be there for a few months before the work has made us even sicker.” DR UK campaign Mikey quoted in @theipaper today 👇inews.co.uk/news/politics/…