I Will Deal With It

Perhaps GNHQ could give us one Primrose

I agree, and I think we all would, that "those who claim any benefit to which they're not entitled do significant harm to those truly in need".

What I'm still not clear about though, smileless, is how do you know he's on benefits. "It's common knowledge"?

But smileless, we are trying to tell you YOU DON'T KNOW if he is entitled to them or not, or even if he gets them, do you?
DO YOU?

I wish there was a [yawn] icon.

Let's not talk about anything. Let's just find someone then analyse 27 words they wrote to death, give them condescending lectures, make some assumptions and accuse them of thinking them and then try and blame them for every political decision made that we don't like. Sounds like a real laugh.

What difference would it have made if I did know his name and said so? I quite rightly couldn't have put his name here on GN.

My example was given because of an unwillingness or inability to accept that not all who are in receipt of benefits are entitled to them. Those who claim any benefit to which they're not entitled do significant harm to those truly in need.

Sorry, but if you are accusing someone you don't know of benefit fraud on the evidence you have presented, you do. It is your attitude and people like you who have made disability rights so difficult to achieve. You have demonstrated prejudice and bias against someone whose name you do not even know. If this had been on the basis of race or religion it would be illegal. But of course it is only based on a disability so it doesn't matter does it?

Yes trisher I have, it was point 3 made by Gracesgran, previously made by another poster and responded too so I'm not going to respond to it again; discounting this response of course.

Thank you, but I don't need educating with regard to hidden disabilities.

Smileless2012 Have you never heard of hidden disabilities?
Using this man as an example of benefit fraud is indeed attacking him and opening the door to attacks on people with hidden disabilities everywhere.
I suggest the next time someone talks about this man and benefit fraud you point out there are many hidden disabilities and he may well be suffering from one or more of them.
This should help educate you:
"Hidden disabilities can include some people with dexterity difficulties such as repetitive strain injury. It may also include those who are hard of hearing or have mental health difficulties. However, it is probably more commonly used (particularly in media terms) in relation to people who have disabling medical conditions of one sort or another. However the list of medical conditions that may be regarded as hidden disabilities is very long and the effects of these different conditions are varied. It can include people with epilepsy, diabetes, sickle cell
condition, chronic fatigue syndrome or ME, cystic fibrosis, cancer, HIV and AIDS, and heart, liver or kidney problems. The conditions may be short term or long term stable or progressive constant or unpredictable and fluctuating controlled by medication or another treatment, or untreatable.
Disabling medical conditions can often have a considerable impact on a person’s everyday life, which can have an adverse knock-on effect on working life. They may cause fatigue or pain and this may be continual or intermittent. They can cause sleep problems, seizures, incontinence or dizziness. The impact of hidden disabilities on daily life and study can be considerable: they often interfere with concentration and stamina, as can the medications that are used to treat them. Rather like long term disabled people, those with hidden disabilities may be well and coping one week and absent from your vision the next, and they can have difficulties meeting deadlines or participating in group work. It may not be possible for them to arrange medical appointments or regular treatments that do not clash with day to day life.
Because of the variation in symptoms it is not possible to generalise about how hidden disabilities may affect work. Some people who get to know you may just want you to be aware in case they have difficulties or a medical emergency, such as fainting or a seizure. You should be aware of what to do in case of medical emergencies. Some people may wish their colleagues to know about their medical condition and may be willing to discuss it openly. Others may want their privacy protected and may want discretion and confidentialty."
This man is obviously doing his best to stay fit, what a pity in doing so he has encountered such prejudice.

Gracesgran

1. It was common knowledge

2. It's possible but highly unlikely IMO, yes this is my opinion, that someone who walks with the aid of 2 crutches would be in receipt of the benefit without his/her apparent inability to walk without the aid of crutches being a factor.

3. A question previously asked and answered.

4. Using this man, whose name I don't know and if I did I couldn't put it on GN as an example of benefit fraud is not attacking him.

5. Why do you?

Over-paid barristers helping us to dodge tax are wonderful.


Bashing, Brick Wall, Head, Against: put these words into the correct order

I've no idea Primrose and can't think why you would think I have.

Why do you feel the need to judge a complete stranger?



I'm sure you'll tell us all why gg

Smileless

1. How did you know 'he', whose name you don't even know, was getting some form of benefit?
2. How do you know he had claimed it for something to do with the crutches?
3. Have you ever heard of invisible illnesses, i.e., ones you cannot see merely by looking at someone? (I have two).
4. Why do you need to attack a man whose name you don't know on GN?
5. Why do you feel the need to judge a complete stranger?

Could that not mean that he was a specialist in getting us tax back?

He was an off shore tax specialist barrister.

Primrose does this person need defending. As far as I am aware being a barrister - even one who is a 'tax specialist' - is so far not a criminal act.

Maybe it was the guy Emily Thornberry evicted from his house when she became his landlord.

More to the point, how do you know he was claiming benefits?
Did he have a badge to declare it?

"When I asked nobody would tell me."
I should hope not. Breaking the data protection act if they did.

Yes dj I really did ask someone his name and doubt very much he'd have given me his full name if I'd asked him; would you to someone you didn't know?

I agree that you can't always tell what ailments someone has just by seeing them in the street, but seeing a man walking with the aid of 2 crutches is IMO a pretty good indicator. Why walk with crutches to assist you if you can run on a treadmill?

I remember getting disability benefits for a man with severe Parkinson's disease. He had been a fanatical golfer. Once a week his wife still took him to the golf course and he played six holes. For some reason, while he was playing those six holes he seemed almost back to normal. But he could only manage 6 holes never any more

His GP knew about this and seemed to see nothing remarkable in it. He said he had seen similar things, before in other people with the same disease. He mentioned a patient who could still manage to swim a couple of lengths despite his very real and disabling illness.

The one thing I learnt when I worked volunteer Home adviser for a charity was that how someone looked or walked down the road was absolutely no guide at all to the severity of their health problems or disability. I could quote you client after client with severe medical problems and/or in great pain who if seen in the street would appear perfectly normal.

And even if he is, without knowing the exact nature of the disability for which benefit is being received, we don't know that the need for crutches is anything to do with it.

I would like to point out that while I have never been in receipt of a disability benefit, I have been crippled by a bad back from time to time, in agony both sitting and standing, and unable to straighten up much more than 45%, let alone walk more than a few steps. However, with DH's help to get my bike out of the shed, and to mount it, I was able to cycle perfectly well. I am quite sure that I too would have been thought a fraudster too, had I been known to be or suspected of getting any kind of disability benefit at the time.

Exactly, MamaCaz, didn't know his name but knew he was on benefits.

^ Nugee became a barrister in 1983, if he ever ran any tax advice legal service it must have been before then.^
He was an off shore tax specialist barrister. He worked in his dad's chambers (I'm sure there was no nepotism involved) It's interesting to me that you're happy to defend people yet you have absolutely no idea what they do.
You're lucky that Emily Thornberry didn't buy up your ex-LA house then evict you, like she did to an Islington tenant. He didn't realise she was the new owner and actually went to her as his MP to complain. You couldn't make this stuff up!

I am curious, Smileless. How did you find out the man was in receipt of disability benefits?

Did you really ask his name, Smileless?
Why did you not go and talk to him? He'd have probably told you.