Another Tired Kicking For The Sick And Disabled By Rishi

By filling in an online journal which shows applications, responses, company names and so on.

You're also required to attend courses, job clubs and whatever else is decided for you.
I wouldn't know, because I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty stick than "live it up" on benefit payments for any longer than is purely necessary.

Cossy

Btw the 16 hour rule does NOT apply under UC and anyone on PAYE simply cannot play the system any more as there is a direct feed from HMRC every month into UC. It’s the amount you earn not the hours worked.

Thank you for confirming that. I thought that was the case. It's different for self-employed, who (I think) are assumed to be earning the threshold.

Theexwife

Cossy

Btw the 16 hour rule does NOT apply under UC and anyone on PAYE simply cannot play the system any more as there is a direct feed from HMRC every month into UC. It’s the amount you earn not the hours worked.

For every pound you earn UC goes down by 55p so for many it is still worth working only 16 hours. Claimants of UC are only required to look for work for 16 hours a week.

But "16 hours" is irrelevant.

Theoretically, somebody earning £300 an hour for one hour's work a week (and some people do) wouldn't be required to look for work.

Germanshepherdsmum

Are those capable of full time work only required to search for 16 hours a week of work? That equates to three hours a day. And then presumably they still claim UC if they are doing a part time minimum wage? That’s dreadful.

No, they're required to look for work which pays a minimum (can't remember how much), which equates to about 24 hours on minimum wage.

Thanks growstuff.

Germanshepherdsmum

That doesn’t sound very realistic! There’s only so much time you can spend looking for a job, surely. How do you prove how much time you’ve spent looking for a job?

You can't. I did this during Covid. I used to fill in my journal and say I'd spent x hours scouring certain websites (gave links) and had applied for y jobs (sent copies of forms or application letters). Sent results of applications. As this was during Covid, there weren't exactly many opportunities. I also wrote about improving my Zoom and Teams skills, so that I could set up my business online (it was all previously face-to-face). If it hadn't been during the pandemic, I would have been expected to walk round town and deliver my CV to anywhere even remotely likely to have a job.

All the above was slightly ridiculous because I was months off claiming my state pension and nobody would have wanted to employ me because I'd stated very clearly I didn't want to work beyond SPA. An advisor used to ring me occasionally and once suggested I looked at courses to enhance my skills. He even laughed when I said that I'd be retired before the end of any course.

Unless the Jobcentre has lists of employers who will accept the unemployed, it's all a bit of a waste of time.

Germanshepherdsmum

Thanks growstuff.

The thing is that somebody who does reach the earnings threshold will exceed the limit for UC. He/she will only receive UC if there is rent to pay and children to support.

For people who are married or living together, it's the family income which counts, so if one of a couple becomes unemployed, it's very likely that UC won't be paid.

growstuff

Germanshepherdsmum

Thanks growstuff.

The thing is that somebody who does reach the earnings threshold will exceed the limit for UC. He/she will only receive UC if there is rent to pay and children to support.

For people who are married or living together, it's the family income which counts, so if one of a couple becomes unemployed, it's very likely that UC won't be paid.

It all seems so complex - in terms of the administration of the various entitlements, etc... so many different layers and schemes. Which I guess are necessary to take into account individual circumstances.

I wonder how much it all costs?

I haven’t read the whole thread so I apologise if I am repeating anyone but the lowest paid jobs in health, social care and education often minimum wage or slightly above require thorough background checks which often take months. So some people may have to wait for employment they have been offered

I wrote a long post which I have lost somehow
I will do again but briefly now
My son is being hounded
like many others possibly by the dwp
He is recovering from a stroke
Last year shortly after his stroke he was contacted for a capability for work assessment
He was left with no speech.just gibberish really.but slowly improving.weakness in arms but mainly legs
Had to send in 4 months bank accounts whic of course he couldn't do
we got help The dwp say they are only checking bank accounts where fraud is suspected.not true.they are targeting vulnerable and disabled
My son has been rushed into hospital twice within 3 weeks due to life threatening low potassium
He is very ill
Yesterday a letter came.to me as his appointee for him for another capability for work assessment
by phone they have already had proof about his stroke and extreme anxiety among other problems like squashed vertebrae
I can't even tell him as the last assessment stressed him so much he was feeling suicidal and stopped eating and hardly slept
This was what adequate him ill and ended up being rushed to hospital
He is very ill dangerously low in potassium and magnesium and told he is in danger of a cardiac arrest
What more proof do they want
We have sent all proof last time and things are much worse
If he doesn't do the assessment it's with the threat of losing his Univerdal credit
I contacted my zmp last time and also Mel Stride.minister for the dwp then
Nit sure if he still is
He and my mp must have got contacted dwp because they rang me and told me
They said not to worry it was sorted.obviously not
I am so angry I feel I am thinking of going to the press
It's disgusting who they are targeting

I've made this point over and over again.

People seem to think that someone saunters into the job centre, hands out, and is given lots of money for them to spend.

It does not work like that. Basically, you are hounded, at the beck and call of the dwp and made to jump through whatever hoops are put in front of you.

I wouldn't blame you for going to the press, but as most of them are in the pay of right-wing government supporters I wouldn't expect too much support there either.

I think you have been very courageous posting this and sincerely hope you get the right help for your son without this humiliating and degrading treatment.

I hope people on here constantly slagging off benefit 'scroungers' will realise that this is not an isolated story, but more common than you would think.

Much easier to blame those at the bottom, than those at the top who have consistently brought in the legislation that results in this kind of emotional difficulty and stress.

I really hope someone can help.

Sorry for typos was trying not to lose post again

veejay, sorry to hear this experience , which I'm sure is being replicated up and down the land.

veejay, your post really highlights the cruelty and inefficiency in the system.
I grumbled earlier thst in the course if work I did meet some clever, deliberate slivers. Your post made me want to stress that the majority of people I came across needed their benefits whether sickness or unemployment.
I don’t want to rush into problem solving because I’m sure you’re doing everything you can. Sometimes your MP can assist
I wish I could actually Do Something - it’s a disgrace

I would support you going to the press it should be told! except he is so vulnerable xx

keepingquiet Are you including The Observer, Guardian and Daily Mirror among your rightwing newspapers?

Locaal papers and local radio are also interested in such stories. They occur regularly in our local media.

MOnica- as someone who has experience of how local press works I know they can 'twist' a story to give a different perspective and very often once in print there is little you can do.

There are some left-wing national newspapers of course but they are still in the minority and I wouldn't include the Observer although I don't buy or read newspapers anymore for the reasons I have outlined above.

Local news and papers are really only for advertising these days. I don't read them or listen for the same reason- so even if they were full of distressing stories like these I wouldn't get to hear or read about them.

I do find it frustrating to read posts on here that take a similar partisan approach- that all claimants are scroungers or victims. I do believe there is an over reliance on the media in influencing people's opinions and this post seemed genuine and from a place of honesty which you rarely see in the media these days.

Nanatoone

One thing I do know for sure. My daughter is a senior teacher and she has so many staff on the sick. One hasn’t been in in over a year and others are always off with “Covid” a “migraine” and other unidentifiable stuff. Sick days are a real problem and so many people are flakes. The impact on the rest of the staff and the children is dreadful. I don’t know if this has anything whatsoever to do with what Rishi said, but it’s high on my agenda.

Surely a teacher who is off sick for more than 6 months goes onto half pay, and has interviews with... is it Occupational Therapy? It certainly used to be the rule, and given the current state of education, I doubt the rules have relaxed. Maybe she's a senior teacher for a Trust or a private school - different rules?
I used to do the cover for medium-sized secondary school. Teaching is a stressful business. Yes some staff are off more than others, but I genuinely didn't have any malingerers.

My concern about sick pay etc is that all benefit claimants are being targeted to allegedly target a few.

Surely a teacher who is off sick for more than 6 months goes onto half pay, and has interviews with... is it Occupational Therapy?

I have been in that position. I had interviews with the HT, Occupational Health Officer and the L.A doctor. I wanted to get back to work and lived in hope that I would get better, but eventually I accepted that I would never improve.
I certainly wasn't a malingerer.

Chardy, your chart includes tax avoided, which is entirely lawful, so is somewhat meaningless.

Thank you everyone who has replied
First thing in the morning I an going to ring the dwp .then go from there I may also contact my mo again too
I can't let them out my son through all this stress again
I will update when I have something to report
He was already on UC and pip,because of ill health before his stroke ,but the stroke was the last straw really and his weight had already dropped,he now weighs less than 8 St from the last assessment due to all the stress.and worrying how he would pay rent and bills etc
I didn't think he would lose his UC ,but the threat of it was very worrying for him

My MP

I hope you'll let us know how you get on, veejay.
Whatever the differing views on here, nobody would possibly want to hear of a frail person being hounded by the dwp.

I don't know if you have tried at all, but I spoke to someone on a citizens advice helpline who was marvellous.

She pointed me in the right direction and "coached"me a little.
(Not in how to "fiddle" the system)
She explained that whoever I spoke to had an agenda, which was to get me back to work, even though I was not at all well enough.

Without her words ringing in my ears I would have laid back and well... I really don't know, because I couldn't work, not for love nor money.

I hope you can find someone similar to help you and your son.