Record Numbers Not Working Due To Ill Health

I have read before about theses eye-watering numbers of the long term ‘sick’ and have wondered how on earth we have got to the situation whereby millions of people claim to be in that situation.

Obviously of course there are those who genuinely are too sick or disabled and they should be supported but honestly, are there really millions of them?

The trouble these days is if someone complains of stress or depression, who in the medical profession is going to challenge them ?

The malingerers’ charter at one time was backache - something that can neither be proved nor disproved, but then along came the seemingly nation wide obsession with examining our ‘mental health’ and naturally finding it wanting.

The welfare state has ballooned into a complete monster.

Yes!

Honestly, I was shocked by the "me too's" on the first page.

if you've seen as I have people badly affected by MH crying or guilty or so inadequate and feel second class citizens because they cannot work then you'd have another good think.

Look I’m sure nobody is disputing the fact that there are some people who are unable to work for a variety of reasons and the benefits system is there for them, but that’s not the whole story.

In too many families, whole generations have grown up thinking work is a mug’s game, and that the benefit system is there to be milked.

Our neighbour owns his own business and has recently been trying in vain to hire staff. Social services have sent applicants on benefits who make it quite apparent by their attitude at the interview that they have no intention of taking that or any job. It’s all just a futile box ticking exercise.

Meanwhile our poor neighbour is frustrated. He is offering training to the right people to enable them to progress in the business in time, or even set up on their own eventually.
But no, these work shy individuals can’t or won’t see the opportunities being offered to them.

1. It would be easier if the benefits system was more flexible and efficient. a lot of people could work and get top up benefits but people are constantly losing out because of delayed payments as you claim after not during and its not worth the risk f managing without enough on a bad pay week.

It depends what is on offer. If it pays enough to keep a family and is not nil hours contract but a proper one and gets them right out of the benefits system then that a different matter.

I agree there are some family so lost in the education and normal system that a way of life has developed for the few.

But whats the answer? Deprive everyone who really is in need,

or address matters in Sure Start initiatives for under 5's and mums and dads, youth support, tackling drug use and the whole alternative black economy (oh yes, it exists) by providing food and other necessities at prices people can afford?

My poor brother (younger than me) has had his health decimated by long covid. Heart failure. He's very lucky to be senior in his company so they have done everything they can to enable him to continue working. Working from home. Provided everything he needed to be able to do that. Given him flexible hours. Working part-time. But still, he's being forced to give up work very early due to it. But of course, Long Covid is a big skive, isn't it? Just a way to get out of working.

As for those on here talking about generations of families that haven't worked...

I taught in Northumberland for 10 years. Whole communities decimated by Thatcher and the Tories. So yes, generations of families out of work. And it's tragic to watch. Bright, sharp, clever students in my class. Destined to either leave their families/homes/culture or end up unemployed because there is no work here. And then on top of it, the wealthy of the country call those families scroungers, playing the system.

If you're going to b*tch about the unemployed from the comfort of your detached home, your warm house, with a full stomach and a glass of wine in hand while you browse the net looking for your next foreign holiday or for your new car, perhaps you could look at who you vote for and blame them, rather than their victims.

Great post.

Germanshepherdsmum

If I were to say what I thought I would be banned.

Me too.

maddyone

Germanshepherdsmum

If I were to say what I thought I would be banned.

Me too.

I'm surprised none of you has said 'political correctness gone mad', which of course is slang for, 'how hard that we can't discriminate against minority groups in public anymore'.

This thread reminds me of conversations I had several years ago with a group of people I met who suffered from ME.I met them at a friends funeral: he’d had ME for many years and they were in his support group. I really thought that the pandemic would bring about a greater understanding of the long term effects of viruses. But nothing has changed. If someone doesn’t look obviously ill they are regarded as malingerers or hypochondriacs.

You ask how these figures relate to our own experience, NanaDana.

Well I know two people whose lives have been severely affected by Covid - one who suffers the effects of long Covid, now working reduced hours, another who had a very rare serious reaction to a vaccine, no longer able to work.

I know several women over 60 who’ve had to leave work or cut their hours before their state pension age due to health issues, and I assume these will be included in the figures too, even if they’re not claiming benefits.

I know a few people now whose health is being affected by delays in medical tests and treatment - they’re not of working age, but plenty of others on waiting lists are.

I don’t personally know any “malingerers”, though I have come across a couple in the past.

It seems to me reasonable to assume that the legacy of Covid, an ageing workforce, and a struggling health service are all going to have an impact on sickness figures. It’s a perfect storm.

For the sake of a balanced discussion, I wish that those of you who claim you can’t give your opinions actually would. Why do you think you’d be banned?

I actually think it's quite easy to be judgemental and lack compassion

Empathy and understanding is strength

This is what can happen after a virus. It can last decades, and affects both mental and physical health. Add to that people (including doctors) implying there's nothing wrong with you.

When I read the headline, my initial thought is "That's terrible, how do we get the level of public health back to what it should be?" While others think "That's terrible, bunch of malingerers".

DH had reason to call 111 the other day and had to hold on for ages. After about 15 minutes he got a recorded message apologising, and asking him not to swear at the staff when he did get through. I wondered about what kind of people would swear at the medical staff.

Now I've read this thread and I think I know.

If you're going to b*tch about the unemployed from the comfort of your detached home, your warm house, with a full stomach and a glass of wine in hand while you browse the net looking for your next foreign holiday or for your new car, perhaps you could look at who you vote for and blame them, rather than their victims.

Exactly.

What used to be called the cycle of deprivation is very much alive and well in the UK, and a lot of this is down to the government we have endured for so long.

Sure Start was scrapped - this was the service that helped families locked in the cycle to break out so that their children could have better lives. The education system is underfunded and micromanaged out of existence - successive DfE ministers have subscribed to an irrelevant "public school" ethos and aspiration that is totally irrelevant to a child whose parents are addicted to drugs, or who comes to school without breakfast.

It is with our children that the hope for the future lies - and the cycle will not stop till we break into this - till we help struggling families..... till we help the children growing up in areas of government-generated deprivation.

The percentage of benefit-scroungers is tiny; the numbers of people not getting their entitlement was huge when I was working.

A sense of proportion is needed.

I would be very surprised if anyone on this thread swore at medical staff if that’s what you mean. How on earth do you make that connection?

Germanshepherdsmum

If I were to say what I thought I would be banned.

Me too!

We have texts from our surgery about abusive behaviour towards staff. The last one is all about how "it upsets patients who witness this".
So now everyone all round is getting more upset.

No doubt there are a few skivers but Long Covid and an NHS and GP service struggling to deliver the most basic services means many will be waiting for treatment. Most Right wing Tory moans about the unemployed are akin to complaints about social security fraud which is trivial compared with tax evasion by the wealthy. The reality the UK is an ageing population and despite the idiotic Braverman we need young immigrants to maintain our industries and services, those that haven't already failed through Brexit.

Germanshepherdsmum

I would be very surprised if anyone on this thread swore at medical staff if that’s what you mean. How on earth do you make that connection?

Well of course they wouldn't wear out loud.

They'd get banned.

swear out loud !!

I don't doubt there are genuine people who deserve sickness benefits but don't let's be naive there are probably plenty who play the system, I know my SIL and her family did and no I didn't approve. Long term Covid effects yes there are probably lots suffering but in my opinion it's an easy condition to fake and get on sickness benefits I would think.

"You would think" - do you know the facts?
No, it is not "easy" as getting any benefit atm is not "Easy".

Sickness benefits (ESA) are no more than the basic rate benefit Nicenanny there is no living in clover there - 2023 rate is £84.80 a week. Look at the cost of your weekly food shop alone then imagine trying to heat, clothe, all other everyday things. never mind getting to see a GP first to qualify you as sick,

There is also PIP which is a separate disability allowance, incredibly hard to pass the criteria which which anyone on Grandnet who has tried for themselves or others will tell you

We have a notice in our surgery asking people to be polite. I’ve seen them at hospitals too. I never swear so I wouldn’t swear at staff in any workplace let alone my GP’s or the hospital.

I know someone with long Covid and she is a youngish woman. She can’t work because of it. I don’t think everyone is malingering but I’m sorry, I do think there will be some of it. I also think a lot of fifty somethings who were working from home or furloughed didn’t want to go back to work, and so they didn’t. I’ve actually seen this reported so I know it’s not just my opinion. The reports don’t say they didn’t want to go back to work, the reports said many people in their fifties have not returned to work after lockdown.

My niece is fifty one and has resigned her job as a teacher. She worked all through Covid but didn’t get it then, she got it later after her vaccinations. Anyway it’s nothing to do with Covid, she’s resigned because she’s reached burn out. But she fully intends to carry on working, she’ll just do supply teaching instead. Less stress for her, a good decision for her. However for the country it’s a bad decision as there is a national shortage of teachers.

I just lost a long post. Given the content about some of the smug, self satisfied posters on here, it was probably fortunate.
I suggest some of you go onto the Citizens advice website and check what benefits you could expect should you be long term sick. It will be surprise you.

Hardly anyone would be trying to fraud the system if the very basic necessities awarded by benefits weren't often more than they can earn in full time employment