Pester a Peer 2012

The letter is below. Feel free to use it as is, or to personalise it (for example switching 'we' to 'I' if that's more your style, or adding your own experiences). Please comment below and tell me how many peers you would be up for emailling (even one is one closer to all of them) - I can then suggest some to you and try and keep track to make sure that we cover everyone. Or, pick a random letter of the alphabet here and work through it. You can find out how people voted here.

Thanks,
Flo =]


Dear x,

We were delighted with the outcome of the ESA votes (If the peer in question voted our way on ESA, you could add a thank-you here) - finally some hope that we are being heard. It was, therefore, with great concern that we heard that one of these amendments may have essentially been overturned - especially because of the circumstances surrounding the vote which to an outside observer seemed somewhat underhand.

I'm sure that by now you will have seen a copy of Reponsible Reform the 'Spartacus Report' (linked here) and we would ask you to read it if you haven't already. It outlines a number of concerns surrounding proposed reform to DLA. While we are not opposed to reform of DLA in its own right, we are concerned that the motivation behind these particular reforms are primarily financial. Whilst we understand efforts to eliminate fraudulent claimants, we are worried that the negative effects of these reforms on genuine claimants will significantly outweigh any benefit to the economy. Removal of support for disabled people and carers is also often a false economy, because the costs get shunted to another part of the system (for example to the NHS if reduced support causes health crises).

You might want to include your own story of how DLA reform will affect you here.

Please remember sick and disabled people and carers in the continuing debates and votes - you have our future wellbeing in your hands.

Thank-you, etc