Record Numbers Not Working Due To Ill Health

Benefits assessors are paid more than the actual benefits would cost IF they were passed.Of course the benefits are denied and appealed and denied again in the hope people will just give up.
Benefits for chronic conditions where people will NEVER get better should be for life ,its a joke that sick people have the stress of wondering if they will lose benefits that keep them warm ,fed and able to maybe have some life.
The new Scottish PIP is proposing to do this (youwont agree with it Aveline) claims for chronic lifelong conditions like my daughters will be able to be dealt with by phone and should be ongoing without the humiliation of a panel of often people with NO medical knowledge questioning you as if you're as big a liar as BOJO....though he seems to get away with it time after time .
My daughter had to take a citizens advice employee with her to her last assessment ,she was so distressed by the aggressive manner of the questioning she was scared to go back alone .
She's no shrinking violet by any means but she has not just one ongoing condition but several which have a knockon effect on her mental health,The DWP should be sued for the treatment of the sick and vulnerable .My girl can get out on very odd occassions so she wants to keep her blue badge its not a lot to ask surely?

That’s really interesting Adeline .

I used to be involved in training assessors for specific benefits. They all seemed to be very pleasant and apparently well qualified individuals. However, not long after, they'd all left the job. I found this out as I'd phone on a client's behalf and ask to to speak to one or other of them. I don't know why they'd left. Burnt out? Better jobs elsewhere? Their replacements didn't have extra training.

Sorry to hear that made in Yorkshire, thanks for sharing the reality of being disabled. Again some would be unaware that this is how people are forced to survive.

Keffie12

Deedaa

We lived on benefits for two years before my husband took early retirement when it became obvious that he would never be well enough to work again. After the financial worry, the endless jumping through hoops to be awarded anything, the endless form filling, and the constant economising, I can't imagine why anyone would choose long term benefits as a way of life.

This

The fraud rate for benefits is 0.007% yes less than 1%. The majority of those defrauding are single mom's who move their boyfriends in and don't tell the DWP.

The fovernment know this however they sold the lie of benefit fraud being far greater than it is so they could demonise the most vulnerable in society.

If you want to look where the real fraud happens take a look to the city wallers, elite and Westminster

You really don't have a clue if you think people are better off on benefits or if you think they are easy to get because they aren't

I looked it up the other day and found 3% across ALL benefits - both the Tories and now Labour are wittering on about the 'economically inactive' including people like me who are just completely unable to work. Yes I could do something at home, on a computer part time ... but I can't do mornings, as after taking 26 tablets at night I am still 'half cut', and then my carers come, so it would need to be in the relatively small afternoon window. But I often feel very unwell too, so I cannot be relied on to manage to do it every afternoon (partly why I haven't volunteered, as I would hate on someone relying on me coming, when I just can't, I would feel so guilty.) So, just who would employ someone part time, afternoons only and someone who hasn't been able to work for 13 years? The new Disability White Paper though if implemented, and it looks like Labour would implement it too now, could potentially require me to look for work, and if I could find any, I could be sanctioned! I have little enough to keep me going as it is, no heating, have run out of food, no social life at all, don't go anywhere that costs, can't walk, and since the death of my daughter I have been suicidal - nobody would employ me, I wouldn't have! It's an ongoing nightmare about to get far, far worse ....

*daughterofbonniebelle

A physio I know had a shoulder injury & couldn’t practise. She got a job assessing sick people for benefits. If the applicants, no matter what condition, eg motor neurone disease, schizophrenia, MS or anything else, said they could walk to the shops, they didn’t get the benefit.

Exactly, and they employ all sorts of sneaky tricks in order to deny the benefit. The put the assessment centres somewhere where there's no parking, so if you manage to even get in there, that's an excuse to deny. They have cameras watching you from the end of the paths into the building, and once in they have cameras looking at how you sit down, how you get up from the chair etc .... the 'room' where you go to be assessed is the one at the end of the corridor etc ... so you've failed sometimes even before you've walked through the door. Also, you can be asked to go to any assessment centre within a 90 min travelling distance, which if you don't have anyone to drive you, you would be expected to go by public transport - and if you do, you've failed again ....

Thisismyname1953

I will be 70 in a few days but haven’t been able to work since I was 58 due to a very painful spine due to what I believe was the dangerous patient moving and handling practices in my job as a nurse . All my major joints give me agony and I take strong medication every day . I’d love to be able to go for a country walk but that will never happen now. I have a lovely family who will do anything for me so I should count my blessings .

I'm sorry, ex nurse here too, now badly disabled believe it or not from an abscess which began in 1998 - 24 surgeries later I am well and truly beyond doing much other than sitting!

Again

It only spoils the perception of legitamemt claimants if you choose to hold that perception... That the tiny minority of fraudsters means it's ok to look side ways at anyone you choose.

The process for claiming disability benefits is there to weed out false claims and they do that job far too well because people who need it can't get it

There is no need for anyone to involve themselves and their self appointed judgement will only actually serve to hurt the feelings of many on this thread. They will never be asked to sit on some sort of panel judging worthiness

Mollygo

So if you can’t tell the difference, you have no idea whether that person is cheating the system or not. Which is why the behaviour of one fraudulent person casts doubt on the validity of the nonfraudulent people.
It’s wrong, but it’s a fact of life in many situations. And every time it happens, it makes it more difficult for genuinely disabled people.

It is difficult for the genuinely disabled as it is - we have to jump through hoops just to get enough to scrape by on! I am poor enough to be entitled to a grant to get my house insulated on the inside of my outside walls, and a new boiler ... which is great BUT I live in the part of the house NOT heated by gas! I asked for Solar Panels which would have helped, but no, I am getting a new boiler to heat the part of the house I don't live. Heating that cost me £21+ a DAY to heat it to a temp warm enough to sit in a thick fleece and gloves, so off it went! I was literally kept alive all winter by a heated throw, AND Sunak wants everyone to be shot of their gas boilers by 2030! Well that isn't going to happen unless I win the lottery, which I don't even do!

I read the article in the mirror, it shows the reality of disability for some . It’s a raw read but sometimes reality is hard to swallow.

There are no 'call out the scroungers' on this thread. Just people with experience of those few chancers who spoil the perception of the multitude of absolutely legitimate claimants

Its not scrounging to use your knowledge of the system and the way the forms have to be filled in to claim every last £ you may be entitled to. Knowledge is power.

Aveline

Sigh. There are no 'call out the scroungers' on this thread. Just people with experience of those few chancers who spoil the perception of the multitude of absolutely legitimate claimants. It's a more nuanced issue than some seem to see. However, feel free to look for an argument if it suits you.

Agreed.

Since 'not working' is at record numbers - there are many legitimate claimants, that's all the information needed, to me.

*Ktsmum please get help with your next claim for PIP - it's often not what you say but how you say it!

Thank you *Gloryanny, *Luckgirl13, *Wyllow3', *Mayal, *Dinahmo, *Seadragon, *Gagajo, *Pammiel for stamding up for those who need help .... there will be more of you am sure I have missed x

Re: Long Covid being like ME/CFS, I have an issue with CFS and ME - like someone posted earlier, ME is a KILLER, whilst CFS is not. If Encephalomyelitis is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, the why don't people with CFS get brain scans? They are not the same in my book!

*Monagran - I would be very interested to know if he has targets set for denying benefit and bonuses for doing so?

*Luckygirl13 "Can you imagine how soul-destroying for someone with a genuine need for state support who gets lumped in with so-called scroungers in the eyes of society?" It seems that Starmer is heading down the same road os the Tories - apparently mentioned 'working people' 22 times in one speech yesterday I thing it was - not one mention of those unable to work at all! Who the heck do I vote for now? Not that we will be able to get shot of that nasty Evangelical Christian Danny "it's not your fanny" Kruger in our area anyway ...

*Big Louis, I agree about the forms, people need help filling them in, or someone practiced at doing them ...

*Ikiesgranma - you should be claiming PIP under the fast track scheme, MacMillan, Marie Curie can help with that - I am sorry and send love and best wishes.

*icanhandthemback "Unfortunately, or fortunately if you are genuinely ill, certain sick benefits are gateway benefits that open a raft of other benefits and there is no benefit cap either." Yes but you CANNOT increase your income either!

*Doodledog "You're right. The whole system needs an overhaul. But if anyone can come up with a way of making it fair to those who are ill as well as those working whether they like it or not, I'd like to hear their ideas." FEAR NOT! There are about to overhaul it! The new Disability White Paper that the Tories have drafted looks also to be taken over by Labour too - apparently we wanted just one assessment, which we will get, BUT that assessment will be done by 'trained Work Coaches' (no doubt trained to deny whish the Decision Makers do anyway) who will decide whether we are entitled to PIP and UC/ESA and NOT our doctors .... this is going to get far, far worse! As *Pammiel says "It’s clear that the system needs to be overhauled because it’s not fit for purpose. But not at the expense of genuinely sick and disabled people who cannot work and need support. Unfortunately they are likely to be the very people who will suffer, because they’re an easy target." We certainly are!

Yesterday I appeared in The Mirror talking about disability benefits - last year some of THE most disabled people in the UK got £150, not the £650 that people on UC got - that literally paid for one month's worth of running electrical appliances, NO heating, which I didn't have on all winter.

Today, although I haven't seen it yet, there should be an article in The Observer by Dr Frances Ryan, which I won't be mentioned in I don't think, but I have been terrorising her for months about doing an article about Social care Charging for people who receive it in their own homes. Some 60,000 people in the UK are being taken to court for non payment of care charges by their LA's. The majority of which will be n benefits. Anyone on benefits just cannot afford to pay these - especially when you look at Scopes new research that says on average a disabled person needs an extra £975 a month, to live live a life equal to that of a non-disabled person. I managed to get mine down to NIL, but have fighting for those that are unable to challenge them at all and just accept. Many have had to refuse or stop their support at home because they can't afford it. Just disgusting, and I wanted it out there hence me campaigning to get that done. If anyone sees the article please let me know?

This has taken me ages and I am still on page 2!

Well if that’s the case you have to decide yourself how you proceed with what you know. I still say that the vast majority of disabled people who are claiming benefits have gone through a rigorous process and presented medical evidence. As I wrote before fraud goes on in society in lots of different ways.

I would never look at a person and judge them by their presentation in any way.

I only judge crappy behaviour

And I really judge it

Lol

Of course Rainnsnow there's a huge difference between thinking someone may be cheating the system and knowing that someone is.

Smileless2012

I agree Aveline.

Another choice

Really can't understand thinking this way even if I understand why

I would be mindful that the person you think may be a benefit cheat may have invisible disabilities. Lots of people gossip about stuff but won’t report. It’s how some are. Others know there will be a tiny element of people that will test the system. I work on theory that the vast majority are decent and honest and getting through the day as best they can. The others have to live with what they are doing. Fraud goes on in society in lots of different ways.

I agree Aveline.

Aveline

Sigh. There are no 'call out the scroungers' on this thread. Just people with experience of those few chancers who spoil the perception of the multitude of absolutely legitimate claimants. It's a more nuanced issue than some seem to see. However, feel free to look for an argument if it suits you.

You have the choice not to let "scroungers" alter your view of those claiming disabilities in general

That's a choice.

Rainnsnow

We all have a moral compass and life experiences of ours and those around us will impact on that. Some people will verbally condemn those deemed different. Others become keyboard warriors and report . Getting the correlation between who had called out would be very difficult to obtain if not impossible due to how Data is shared. Lots of people wouldn’t formally report perceived fraud but may make verbal comments.

That is an interesting theory in itself, isn't it?

Will complain and moan about benefit abuse but won't report.

Aveline

Sigh. There are no 'call out the scroungers' on this thread. Just people with experience of those few chancers who spoil the perception of the multitude of absolutely legitimate claimants. It's a more nuanced issue than some seem to see. However, feel free to look for an argument if it suits you.

Well, as you can see, the 'few chancers' are very very few indeed. 0.2% few.

So maybe that issue has been put to bed now? (I wish!)

We all have a moral compass and life experiences of ours and those around us will impact on that. Some people will verbally condemn those deemed different. Others become keyboard warriors and report . Getting the correlation between who had called out would be very difficult to obtain if not impossible due to how Data is shared. Lots of people wouldn’t formally report perceived fraud but may make verbal comments.

Sigh. There are no 'call out the scroungers' on this thread. Just people with experience of those few chancers who spoil the perception of the multitude of absolutely legitimate claimants. It's a more nuanced issue than some seem to see. However, feel free to look for an argument if it suits you.

Chardy

Saw this first thing and thought of some of the unpleasantness in this thread.

O.2% PIP fraud, 1 in 500

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/miniscule-benefit-fraud-stats-show-ministers-hostile-video-was-shameful-and-disablist/

And we're are the 'call out the scroungers' brigade in response to this evidence?

Nowhere to be seen. Of course.