Austerity

I do see it as an uncaring Government because they know very well that there are still a lot of problems that need sorting out and yet they are still pushing on with the roll out before the problems are solved.

POGS,

If you or Day6 can find any post where any poster of a supposed 'far left' inclination says that they think that everyone should (could say they) have exactly the same as their neighbour and no one exist(ed) with more wealth than they have? I will retract the 'vivid imagination' remark.

As it stands I doubt if any of 'us' would find such a state desirable. So it's completely irrelevant to discussions on this forum. And my 'point' still stands.

I don't think anyone could ever describe Sir John Major as a lefty or a socialist, and he has criticised UC.

Such a caring government ,appointing a minister for Suicide ,seems thy know the numbers are up and rising shame they wont try to alleviate the problem,What CAN a minister for suicide do to stop people jumping in front of trains or hanging themselves or all the other horrible deaths

.Of course then there are the thousands of deaths that can be laid at the door of the DWP ..MAYBE they could start there

seems thy know the numbers are up and rising shame they wont try to alleviate the problem

This thread is entering the realms of the surrealPaddyann

I find your comment regarding suicide crass.

Mental health problems as I am sure you know are varied and complex and those who commit suicide rarely have families who blame those who inhabit number 10 Downing Street, or the chancellor next door for the loss of a loved one.

Modern society, pressures, the way we interact, life, inability to cope, trauma, illness, relationship woes, lack of support, money, drug, alcohol problems, and a brain with a chemical imbalance causing suicidal thoughts are a few of the myriad of reasons why people take their own lives....

Families ask 'why?' when it happens and there is rarely one clear cut reason.

Of course then there are the thousands of deaths that can be laid at the door of the DWP

Really? Really? Your research? I am shocked that you have such a simplistic reason to the tragedy that is suicide.

Many people have or have had money worries. Will families of those who took their own lives now demand compensation from the DWP?

Hardship of ANY sort isn't nice, it's difficult, but it is a sad fact of life. Generations before survived on fresh air and crusts of bread and there weren't mass suicides.

Do you really think we can eradicate all hardship and so alleviate mental health problems? The DWP could do what psychiatrists, antidepressants and trained mental health workers fail to achieve?

This is another "Throw money at the problem and it will go away, shame on you for not giving out free money, it solves all ills" liberal left solution.

It is crass, unfeeling and beyond belief.

I have to say that dealing with the dwp drove me almost to the brink.
It wasn't the lack of money, as I've always had a limited income, it was the total and absolute lack of humanity - which incidentally, my 'job coach' at the job centre agreed with.
There was absolutely no help for me whatsoever, nobody to give a shit about the state of my mind..
I can well understand now (although I wouldn't have done before) how people find that they just can't go on being treated as almost subhuman.

Modern society, pressures, the way we interact, life, inability to cope, trauma, illness, relationship woes, lack of support, money, drug, alcohol problems, and a brain with a chemical imbalance causing suicidal thoughts are a few of the myriad of reasons why people take their own lives

Yes exactly Day6 the pressures of the way we are forced to live our lives these days is just too much for some people to take.

Unfeeling bureaucracy is a problem as you say MissA sometimes there is no tickbox or easy answer so a person falls through the cracks, then you get a problem with accessing money or something like the Windrush scandal.
Policies are only as good as the workers who are implementing them.

Good post Day6 and appointing a minister for this is at least a start.As you rightly say, there are myriad reasons for suicide.

Paddyann, what rubbish. I have lived with poverty for years, only once did suicide come to my thoughts and it certainly wasn’t because of being poor.

The loss of communites is to blame for many suicides

The problems of inefficient administration of a the benefits system have been rife since it all first began. During my SW career I spent a great deal of time explaining to benefits staff what the rules were as they so often got it wrong.

Universal Credit is not a bad benefit in principle, but it did not take a genius to work out that if benefits staff specialising in the administration of one aspect of the system suddenly found themselves having to get their heads round other scenarios (e.g. disability as opposed to unemployment) they were going to struggle. It is yet another example of "back-of-the-envelope" thinking.

Underneath all this we still have the concept of the deserving or the undeserving poor teetering about.

On a programme yesterday private landlords were saying that the rate of arrears has shot up since the introduction of UC and many are now refusing to take on UC claimants. So - add homelessness into the equation.

It truly has been a mess, and those in poverty and in need of benefits must be tearing their hair out trying to simply live.

Back to the 'end of austerity' - how on earth can Mrs May make such promises- when she is in the middle of the biggest mess and gamble - with no solutions in sight?

It is uttely dishonest to do so. If we end up with no deal- austerity will be the least of your worries.

it must be practically impossible to hang onto your humanity if you work as a jobs coach or in similar role.

Totally demoralising to be passed around and told to fill in forms all day long.

No wonder people feel low and they are not getting in a nice warm car and driving home for tea.

Job coach is a bit misleading, really.
When I was told I needed to construct a cv, and told them it would have to be very basic, and wouldn't reflect my skills, they couldn't help.
When I asked about childcare options, as I have no family whatsoever to help out, they didn't know anything at all, and were unable to find out, or even to produce any info on finding a childminder.
All they are employed to do is to keep a watch on you. (By being given your email, so that they can log into your job seekers account)
Its demoralising, to say the least, and all for 73 pounds a week.

Exactly Miss A, they are constantly telling you what you can't have, which drags people down.

When I was widowed I was allowed widowed mothers allowance £10 less that the full amount because of my age, I was told ‘ young widows do marry again or enter a relationship. This was 42 years ago. I was assessed on what may happen not as the situation was at the time.

I was also asked "do you want to claim contributions based job seekers, or another type?" (Can't remember the term used) as if I knew all about a benefit I had never claimed before.
Its all these little embarrassing things, carried out in front of everyone else which really really drag you down.
"Go to the doctors and get a certificate if you say you're too ill to work".
Gp produces a letter which advises her to 'support' me by not issuing a certificate, since during my half hour medical I wasn't 'rocking to and fro', I said I can get in and out of the bath ok, and I coped well with the medical. (I cried all the way through it. The nurse had to keep stopping to wait for me to get myself together.

Grim MissAdventure and cruel x

Yes, it was, Annie.
I don't consider myself to be particularly fragile, mentally, but for those who are... well, they have my deepest sympathy, because the system is just awful.
I didn't get my certificate, because I couldn't and didn't want to argue with the gp about why I shouldn't have to work. (Totally humiliating!) so I went without money for around the last 7 weeks before starting my job.
Job coach was unable to help at all about what I should do for money whilst waiting for my start date, and I was just too worn out to spend any more time on the phone, in the job centre, and so on.

I really don't expect the Tories to change Universal Credit much, it would cost to much and go back to what?. Much more likely are tax changes for those in work, but who knows what Hammond is going to come up with, or how it's going to be paid for.

Austerity anyone? Do you really believe that at this catastrophic stage in the negotiations, it is honest of Mrs May to promise the end of austerity?

We are just a number not a human being to them MissAdventure. Ripped to pieces by grief and expected to fight for everything we need.

I found the humiliation hard to cope with.

When I found a part time job I paid tax and NIC , when I was on the sick for two weeks I applied for sickness benefit, refused, I asked why because I was paying NIC, I was told
‘We are keeping you once , not keeping you twice. I didn’t know widowed mothers allowance prevented me from any other financial support.

To answer your question, jura, it is astoundingly dishonest of May to promise the 'end of austerity'.

She cannot possibly achieve it while subscribing to neo-liberal economic beliefs and running the country in accordance with them.

MissAdventure

It was no different when I was made redundant in 2000 !

Its a pity isn't it, POGS to realise that things are no further forward?

MissAdventure

Well actually I have been fortunate this year because my PIP assessment was courteously handled and after many years of trying to get higher rate mobility this was passed.

I am not crowing about it but putting another side to the situation.