75% of Incapacity Benefit Claimants Are NOT Being Found Fit For Work

10/27/2010 07:45:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 22 Comments

Right, I'm going to be confrontational. Where is everybody? It's nearly 10am and no-one has responded. get up and get moving because when you get those jobs that you claim to desire, you'll have to have been up three sodding hours ago.

And yes, I do know that seriously disabled people cannot work..and I don't refer to them. All you folks with depression, anxiety, stress, general malaise, ME, bad backs,and PTSD would fare better if you got up.

Old people you've earned your lie-in as well.

Anon: Please could you pick a name to post with, pseudonym is fine it just gets confusing otherwise.
There are lots of people volunteering on the broken of britain forums, all trying to do so alongside their disabilities. If the govt were in any way serious about getting disabled people into work they'd be promoting part time, home based working to employers.
I suggest you go and read Blood In The Sand's posts before making any more ill advised remarks about people with PTSD faring better if they 'got up'

Kali

I'm happy to volunteer but just not sure what I can do. I've joined the forum, meant to do it before now, but been mad busy. I'm not sure how much use I can be but if you think there's anything I can do, let me know.
In the meantime, take care of yourself!

Alhi

Bendy Girl, I'm not meaning that nobody suffers from PTSD but it is an easy label for malingerers and despite what you might believe there are loads of them.

Can I just make it clear that I believe you. And many others. Equally I know that many fit, able-bodied people claim DLA in order to maintain a lifestyle. Perversely, they have trapped themselves into a meaningless, if comfortable existence. If they work they lose out.

The huge problem now is not that they're disabled but that they're effectively unemployable. In a tough jobs market things look grim. I don't know the answers and I'm not saying that we don't have genuinely disabled people in our communities. I think your naive views, a pretense that most claimants are kosher, not facing up to the reality of fraud (large scale) devalues your argument.

We should protect and defend the vulnerable and sick. We should care for the elderly. The malingerers should get a very overdue kick up the arse.

Doc

Alhi: Thanks! It's all a bit chaotic atm but in time we'll really need legally trained minds to go through policies etc so that'd be great if you could. Hope all's well, BG Xx

Doc: Thank you for your clarifications. We DO have significant fraud problems in the benefits system, I've never denied that. Fraud harms us all and disabled people are as opposed to it as everyone else.
However, even if the official stats are wildly wrong when it comes to fraud (which they may be) I think we are being naive to believe that fraud is more prevalent than genuine claims. It is a problem, a problem we need to address, but one of the difficulties is that the fraudsters are visible and sick and disabled people aren't.

I'd like to see some simple, not very costly changes made to the system, for example involving the GP's in the DLA claim process instead of paying ATOS. A simple tick box on the existing DLA forms where GP's can say if they are happy to assess that particular claimant face to face and the claimant can also say if they are happy to be assessed by their own GP would be a start. Add in an independant panel of local GP's for those who don't want to see their own GP and GP's who don't want to see their own patients and a simple appeal system locally run and we'd save a fortune and find it easier to spot fraudulent claims. Then link those face to face decisions with the WCA and we'd save more money.
Unfortunately there will always be people who set out to defraud the system, my big concern is that by designing the system around preventing that we fail those the system is supposed to support. I'm guessing by your pseudonym that you're in the medical profession so I'd be interested to know your views of what we could do to reform the system cheaply and effectively?
BG

I am not Anonymous - I am CHAtter who cannot log my comment in the normal way. The word recognition just not play fair......

Another supreme encapsulation BG. I saw the BBC documentary and it seemed that Danny Alexander might be a champion of reviewing a patently flawed system. No evidence of this yet, or has he forgotten a previous persona?

There are just too many varied examples of people being assessed as 'fit for work' when they have illnesses or disabilities which need to be accounted for, but yesterday's headlines where not surprising given the toxic 'scrounger' climate. Your assessment of the true figures is refreshing.

anonymous (yeh you would be anonymous).

are you some kind of escaped nazi war criminal living in south america?

Your words are chilling and inhuman. How dare you belittle and try to humiliate people with mental illness as being lazy. You only show your own ignorance and lack of knowledge regarding those people with mental illness.

The "scrounger" climate you talk about - now that's a good one. Like most bullies you are only interested in going after those who can't defend themselves. Why aren't you so "interested" in the real scroungers. ie. the 150 MP's who have voluntarily left westminster to avoid further investigation into their expenses - corrupt weapons industry contracts overpriced by billions of pounds - appropriation of north sea oil to the tune of trillions of pounds - nepotism in council contracts to private companies - billions lost in unpaid tax revenue by the wealthy and their tax dodging advisors.

You are a bully and a borderline fascist. I hope more and more people come to these pages and see you and your views for what they really are.

What goes around comes around and I hope one day you will have to eat your own words and spend lots of time pondering on the stupidity and selfishness of your vapid words.

Hi

I have a condition along the PTSD spectrum. I would love to be able to go out to work. But who would employ me?

ironically one of the biggest barriers to work I face is the complete lack of treatment available for my condition. It is completely curable, but only with treatent. Drugs don't work. Te treatment I need involves long term talking therapy. If the NHS were to provide this for me they would surely see a return on their ivestment as I would be able to work. As it currently stands I can't even get this treatment privately, despite trying to.

in the meanwhile, I am just trying to get on with it... but its easier said than done..

For the vile Anonymous:

http://bloodinthesand.blogspot.com/

By the way, what`s your illness?

A polite note: Please be nice to each other in my comments box! Debating is welcomed, personal insults are not.

If we as disabled people want things to change we must engage with the people who believe the prevalence of the scrounger rhetoric and politely state our case and the true facts.

Thanks everyone, BendyGirl

Yes. The 78% thing was straight from a government press release and was bullshit. A comparison with the actual figures told quite a different story - and we know that many people are being certified fit for work who genuinely are not.

I chastised the Guardian for effectively reprinting propaganda, but no response.

my 2p worth: http://expat-on-benefits.blogspot.com/2010/10/letter-to-editor.html

I listened to your radio interview. It seemed to go quite well.

Cheers
Matt

Bendy Girl, you are so civilised and obviously a very decent person. Exhorting commenters to refrain from personal insults is nice but unnecessary. I don't take it to heart.

I'm not a doctor. Sorry to disappoint you. They're my initials. My surname is Cohen. Do you believe me when I say I am not a Nazi?

I believe in fairness. I believe in hard work. I believe in supporting disabled people. I love this country. I am a cynic. I know people who work the system. I am aware that most do not. I am with you. Even if you don't want me.

Doc

Doc: Thank you. I'm glad you don't take rude comments to heart, but many do. I believe that if we wish to be treated with polite dignity we must behave so.
And yes, of course we want you!

Thank you so much.
Doc

It seems that about 33% appeal their fit to work claim, and 40% of those are over-turned. But looking around I see that the overturn rate varies enormously, up to 90% in some places - possibly depending on the kind of community and resources available. We still have no information about those who drop out of the WCA process.

Unlike Doc I think it is the other way around. The false claims are a tiny minority. People don't know how to stick up for themselves once they're judged fit for work. Having been through the process I don't see how I could have faked it - I had to go through so many hoops, so many examinations by Drs and specialists. Having got the benefit I find it only just covers my lifestyle: I live communally with 5 other adults, don't own a car, don't drink or take drugs, eat vegetarian and generally try to live as cheaply as possible. I enjoy a simple life for religious reasons anyway, but I don't see the average Brit making ends meet on what I get.

I certainly don't think we have all the information.

Bendygirl,

Do you consider yourself as disabled but able to do SOME work? or not able to work at all?
It seems with your writing/presenting/campaigning skills you could potentially get paid work? Out of interest how much National Insurance contribution have you made in your adult working life, since completing your law degree?

Fursty: I worked part time in multiple low waged jobs after university whilst under going surgeries etc so did not earn enough to pay NI. I did that because I wanted to avoid being on benefits.
I lost my last job because I was too ill and because my employers (NHS) were very unhappy about my dislocating and falling over while in work.
I might not appear to be severely disabled but the unfortunate reality is that I am. Many days I can barely crawl to the toilet or speak even simple sentences. I couldn't get out to a work place on a regular basis, I don't have a wheelchair I can use on my own for starters as well as many other barriers . Whilst I would like to believe I could do some work, from home, part time under the right circumstances, I would not be able to sustain enough hours to earn enough to support myself. If however I had a power wheelchair, a vehicle that was adapted to take that wheelchair and a carer to assist me with the day to day tasks most people take forgranted then I would feel much more confident about being able to work part time and maintain it. The thing is, all those things cost alot of money and are being fruther rationed, which is a serious barrier to acheiving the aim of getting more disabled people to work.

As someone who has severe and enduring mental illness,
Who suffers from impulsive and often violent outbursts, I take great offence to anon (troll) belittling anyone with mental health problems
Maybe you should go and volunteer with mental health services, and get your eyes opened to real life suffering of those with depression etc.


medicated for your safety

I used to be a soldier... Of course I'm workshy - it's in the job descroption :)

You couldn't be further from 'scum'! Thanks for speaking out and saying it so well.

Annonynouse, your completely full of shit, dodgy people account vfor less than 1 percent, just cos you wasted your life being jealous and bitter about anyone who didnt have yours doesnt mean evryone else is corrupt.yours nobody