Baked Beans, Boobs, Bovril & Benefit Fraud

3/25/2011 11:46:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 14 Comments

I'm smack in the middle of the few good days each month my hormones are at that mysteriously perfect balance to make me less bendy and floppy than usual. Such good days that I've been to see a friend for a cuppa in the evening, managed to stay out until nearly 10pm and still function enough the next day to go for tea with another friend, deathwalk without being rescued and dip my boob into cheesy baked beans. Ok, so that last one was a bit of an unintentional fail, but still, good days, hurrah! Unfortunately the downside to all this hormonal happiness is that unless the bendy body gods smile down upon me (maybe because they were amused by the cheesy bean boob incident) I'll be crashing back into full on floppyness just in time for my Big Society sponsored trip to London. But that's not til next week, so I'll worry about that on Sunday. For now, it's time to celebrate Spring and marginally less springy joints than usual. 

Yesterday a friend came to visit, and as tends to happen in my flat we found ourselves sitting outside the back door with a cuppa and a smoke. Small towns are universally special so when a lady in one of the houses backing on to mine started a conversation with us by hanging out of the window we didn't bat an eyelid. Not even when her elderly mother insisted on climbing two flights of stairs so she could see us and join in the fun. It's like being a celebrity without the celebrity bit. Fortunately these women didn't appear to have linked my face with the page 3 spread the local paper ran about my arse, unlike the staff in Sainsbury's, several of whom asked for my autograph. As my writing hand wrist is still fubard I'm planning an ink imprint of my arse to hand out to such interested parties.* So, we chatted away to the not at all eccentric mother and daughter, who was apparently pulling a 'sickie' from work. 


Fortunately for these neighbours they don't seem to be able to see as far into my flat through the skylights as I'd thought, so I was surprised when they asked why I wasn't at work. Not wanting to explain my medical history by shouting up to the third floor ladies I simply mumbled something about working at home and off they went. 


All this good day cure business makes me a bit paranoid about being reported to the DWP for benefit fraud, as many people with invisible illnesses or disabilities are by neighbours who can't see anything so assume it must not be there. At 3am this morning I was sleepless and the 50 trillionth dvd replay of Harry Potter wasn't doing it's usual trick of sending me to the land of nod so I grudgingly acknowledged the need for additional pain relief and stumbled through to the kitchen. BendyCat remained in bed as she still fears the nighttime loving slugs will break out of our old flat and find her here, so it was just me to enjoy the peaceful, starlit night and the sound of seabirds cawing. As I stood unaided on the doorstep, inhaling illegal pain relief to be followed up with an oramorph chaser I decided I was clearly so cured it was time to report myself to the DWP for being 'fit for work'. Y'know, cos everyone who's not ill or disabled feels the need to neck morphine in the garden at 3am whilst observing the long term results of the outdoor vomit experiment**


But, I don't look sick. Not most of the time. So on good days even I try to fool myself that I'm not. 





*No, not really. Although I may change my mind in a year once benefits cuts take effect ;) 
** Bovril washes away quickest. Tea with milk stains the paving and for some unknown reason apple adheres itself more stubbornly than dried out weetabix to pavement and establishes squatters rights.

The Guardian And Other News From The Broken Of Britain

3/23/2011 03:08:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 2 Comments

First of all, sincere apologies for the radio silence from The Broken of Britain. Everybody's been busy dealing with the aftermath of Left Out In The Cold, and the progress of the Welfare Reform Bill.

The big news is the feature in The Guardian which focuses on The Broken of Britain. Kaliya has also had a Joe Public blog about the way the welfare reform fail to understand disability. There are also some other pieces lined up for publication elsewhere in the near future.

Away from the media, the Welfare Reform Bill has been plodding through Committee stage with its first sitting yesterday. The Broken of Britain has been lobbying Committee members, preparing evidence and staying on top of things.

Welfare Bill Ignores Reality Of Disability

3/21/2011 03:50:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 0 Comments

Thanks to Society Guardian who've published my 'ability to mobilise' blog on their Joe Public site, here 

Please do share this link anywhere you can - explaining the kind of obstacles and barriers we have to overcome is a vital part of explaining to politicians and the public why benefits such as DLA should not be cut, and the consequences of doing so.

Burnt Out Sickies - By Sue Marsh

3/16/2011 10:29:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 2 Comments

ESA week will face a short intermission.

We have all worked ourselves into the ground. Broken of Britain are temporarily, erm, broken, and I can barely lift a finger to type.

I was just going to post "Bastards" and be done with it.

Instead, I'll post this comment from someone who actually works in the Job Centre and knows from first hand experience that everything us campaingers have been saying is true. The sickness and disability benefit system is failing like a very. very slow car crash.

If you read my blog and think what I do is important, please take over today. Tweet links, write your own blogs, find a juicy bit of research but get the message out. I'm going to bed.

" I'm a DWP worker sticking his head above the parapet and hoping not to get shot... I work in a busy Jobcentre and my customers are those 25+ who've been out of work for 13 weeks or longer. Probably 60-70% of the one hundred or more people I see every week are evidently not fit for work and yet, in theory, it's my job to whip them through the same hoops as everybody else, persecute them, attempt to stop their benefits and generally shame them into applying for all manner of wholly unsuitable jobs that they're never going to be able to do. In reality, what I do is tell them the system sucks and advise them of ways they can stay beneath the radar, or suggest they sign off JSA and move onto ESA and do whatever I can to make the transition as trouble free as possible. On the other side of the office to me are the Pathways team, who deal with customers on ESA. We all know that over the coming months most of them will be forced to migrate over to the JSA bods like myself and we won't be able to cope with either the numbers or the particular problems that this customer group represents. The point of all this waffle is that the policy makers have embarked upon their catastrophic journey without consulting the frontline workers who, without exception in my experience, KNOW that the planned changes CANNOT work. I would advise people worried about a forced transition from ESA to JSA to be brave and try not to lose too much sleep about it...it's just not do-able in the real world, there'll be a horrible mess and people's lives will face some awful but shortlived disruption and then it'll be business as usual. Also, for those who face the indignity of having to venture into a jobcentre from time to time, please be assured - the majority of those who work in them are actually on your side, and have probably less faith in our political masters than you do, and just as much awareness as yourselves that all their vitriolic guff about benefit scroungers and feckless layabouts is simply empty, venomous scapegoating..."

Originally posted here 

ESA Quiz - Guest Post by Sue Marsh

3/15/2011 11:10:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 6 Comments

I know it's easy to just become noise. "In the third quarter of the blah ESA was tripled by the WCA DLA blah until 2002 when the IB, CA blah......."

"It's the politics" Innit.

3/09/2011 08:31:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 13 Comments

The sweeping changes and cuts brought in by the coalition government affect those of us who are sick and disabled earlier than those not yet sick or disabled; we're a bit like the canaries miners used to take underground as they were more sensitive to the lack of oxygen and toxic gases than humans, if the canary passed out it was time to run for safety. In this case sick and disabled people are the little yellow birds the rest of the population should be watching closely to see the impact of the changes to the NHS, welfare, social services and all our vital public services have on us as a salutary warning of things to come for everyone.

Yesterday, after much dithering about a dislocation that had remained stubbornly dislocated for about 10 days and concerns about nerve damage or stress fractures, I finally conceeded I might need medical attention and phoned my rheumatologist's secretary to see what my doctor advised. You can always tell a good, well liked doctor by the quality and manner of their staff - typically if the secretary is friendly and helpful it's because the doctor they are working for encourages that kind of atmosphere. My rheumatologist is lovely, as are his staff. I explained the issues to the secretary, who assured me she'd make some enquiries and left me a phone message an hour or so later to explain what she'd done and that a specialist nurse would phone me to discuss the situation. So far, so impressive.

Until the specialist nurse phoned. The nurse was very nice and obviously keen to help, but I knew when the advice started with the words "It's because of the politics" that things weren't going to go according to plan. The nurse advised me to stay away from A&E, which is usually the most sensible advice for those with long term chronic conditions, but in this instance the boundaries are blurred as to what's the most appropriate way to access care. Instead, 'because of the politics' I was told to go to my GP and get him to examine my wrist, then refer me for an x-ray as an outpatient. I was then to attend the local hospital for that x-ray, wait for the results to be returned to my GP, then my GP was to refer me on to orthopaedics. So that's likely to add up to 2 appointments with my GP, a very confused GP wondering why it's suddenly his job to rule fractures in or out and when he last had to diagnose a fracture, my GP spending time on paperwork and referrals, then being sent an x-ray far outside his field of expertise to decide on an appropriate course of action and then more paperwork and referrals.

At this point in the conversation I knew what would happen if I took the problem to my GP. He'll look at me a bit blankly, probably scratch his head, then he'll ask me what I did to my wrist and what I believe the problem to be. He won't examine me as it's utterly pointless and will ask me where and who I need to be referred to. Weighing it up yesterday afternoon I decided that quite frankly even if my wrist has stress fractured, or if there is nerve damage, the amount of spoons I'd have to expend on all those trips to the GP and hospital would be far better spent ignoring the problem and staying at home with my wrist braced healing.

I saw my rheumatologist for the first time in December, when, because of his concerns about the severity of my condition he put me down for three monthly reviews, meaning I should be seen by the consultant some time this month. Except, they're running behind. Approximately six months behind. I asked whether this would mean I was seen six months after the initial appointment or nine. Apparently there's no way to know but it will probably be sometime between the two, so I'm looking at not seeing my rheumatologist until some time later in the summer. Which seems both a shame for me personally and the NHS as a face to face appointment with my rheumatologist might avoid the need for any x-rays or multiple referrals to other specialities with no experience of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. It's fair to say that rheumatology was struggling under the previous New Labour government as their obsession with targets also meant an obsession with 'cures' and so surgical specialities enjoyed the increased finances while the more time demanding medical specialties sighed and tried to make the best of the situation for their typically more sick, disabled and dependent patients. However, despite those difficulties, last time I was put on three monthly reviews by rheumatology I was seen fairly close to that three month target, which kept me from spiralling off to other expensive referrals and specialities.

But, "It's the politics" innit. And like the canaries of old we sick and disabled people are frantically flapping and tweeting about, hoping desperately that those of you not yet sick or disabled will see and hear us before we keel over and the public realise it's not just that it's too late for us, it's too late for you too.

Update: 0918 I'm publishing below the insight a frontline GP gives in my comments section into the reasons for these delays

"Hi there BG.

If anyone's trying to suggest to you this present difficulty is down to GP commissioning they're telling monster porkies. GPs won't be commissioning for at least 12 months yet. The pCTs carry on as normal til then (at least in theory) and GP consortia haven't even begun to look at their service specs for any clinical areas yet. Most of them have barely formed. The delay is all at the feet of Mr Lansley and your present trusts, PCT and Hospital. The targets for waiting times have been abolished. The "ringfenced" NHS budget is anything but, and if your Hospital Trust is anything like two of ours locally, they're looking at "efficiency savings" of anything upwards of 10% (or 20 plus million smackers-- each), and so they start playing bingo with the appointment system-- refusing to cover staff absences with locums, cancelling clinics left right and centre, and once you've cancelled a clinic the *minimum* the appointments will be deferred is another 4-6 months because of the way the system "works".

But of course none of that matters when you've got the massive smokescreen of "It's not us it's the GP Commissioners, honest!" And especilaly so when the Meeja buy into the lie hook line and sinker.

Yours in despair,

Doc J "

Update: 1402 Home from A&E with a plaster cast and broken scaphoid. Thanks to all the fantastic staff at Wirral Hospital's A&E who were lovely & had me seen, treated & discharged in around 3 hours. Oh and for listening to my radio interview this morning!

Left Out In The Cold - Press Release

3/07/2011 06:50:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 5 Comments

“We don’t want to be ‘Left Out In The Cold’ ”, say Britain’s disabled people.
On the eve of the second reading of the government’s controversial Welfare Reform Bill on 9th March, a stark image of disabled campaigner Kaliya Franklin aims to convey how vulnerable some of the bills proposals will leave sick and disabled people across the UK.

The photograph depicts a naked Franklin lying on the sand on a wintry beach, next to her empty wheelchair.

Just like Franklin’s wheelchair in the image, social care and support will be left out of reach for many of those most in need if these reforms go ahead, literally leaving many “Left Out in the Cold.”

“We decided to use one thought provoking image to make our point,” explains Franklin. “Sick and disabled people are often left voiceless in society, so we hoped using a single image might reflect this.”

Says Franklin, “It’s vital we all remember we are just an accident or illness away from becoming disabled. Many people think if they do become disabled that the state will look after them.

“But the fact is that even under current provisions, disability benefits are not enough for disabled people to live on. If the Welfare Reform Bill is passed, the situation will become unimaginably worse.”

In January, Franklin released a video on YouTube that explained how able-bodied people would be in for a major shock if they found themselves needing to apply for disability benefits. The video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7EXSpmrVMU.

The Broken of Britain group has been campaigning since summer 2010 to raise awareness of the government’s wider anti-disability policies. The group has consistently drawn attention to disabled people being the target of unjust government rhetoric and sham consultations, tabloid slander and political myths.

It says: “We are now the targets of deep and damaging cuts to disability services that are contained in and symbolised by the Welfare Reform Bill. The Bill disguises cuts and changes to a number of benefits, from housing benefit to Income Support that will punish disabled people.”


Notes for editors

1. Kaliya Franklin and other case studies are available for interview.

2. A high resolution version of the campaign photograph is available on request.

3. For more information, contact Rhydian Fôn James at rhydian@thebrokenofbritain.org or 07774021785, or Kaliya Franklin at 07714208602

4. Contribution-related Employment Support Allowance will be restricted to 365 days, meaning that a married claimant would be unable to claim after a year if their spouse works.

5. The Welfare Reform Bill confirms that Disability Living Allowance will be replaced by the Personal Independence Payment which will use unfair assessment and conditions to disqualify 20 per cent of the current DLA caseload.

There is no evidence that supports government’s claims that DLA is “broken” and in need of reform. In fact, most evidence suggests that DLA is an efficient and popular benefit, and this support includes the vast majority of the DWP’s own research.

The inclusion of this benefit change in the Welfare Reform Bill took place before the consultation on DLA reform was completed.

6. Other cuts to disability services not included in the Welfare Reform Bill are:

• Plans to remove security of tenure from social housing tenants, as costly adaptations are a barrier to moving regardless of size of property.
• Many changes to the provision, entitlement to and charges paid for receiving social care and disability services provided by local authorities.
• The Independent Living Fund which provided for the highest level support needs in combination with the local authorities is now to be scrapped without consultation.
• Access to Work reform redefines what it is "reasonable" to expect an employer to provide for disabled staff, meaning it is likely to push many currently employed disabled people out of work and back onto benefits.

7. Disabled people are more likely to live in poverty than any other group in the UK and more likely to be unemployed or in low paid jobs. 60% of those with a work-limiting disability are unemployed, with 25% wanting to work.


Left Out In The Cold by Kaliya Franklin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://thebrokenofbritain.blogspot.com/.

The Final Countdown

3/06/2011 10:43:00 am BenefitScroungingScum 3 Comments

It has been a truly hectic week for all here at The Broken of Britain Towers. We have been putting the finishing touches to a new national campaign that launches on Monday. The campaign will aim to oppose those provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill that are 'anti-disability'. There is a lot of support for this campaign, and we know that you will hlp us make it a success.

As part of the campaign, there will be a debate in Westminster Hall on the reform of Disability Living Allowance on the morning of the 9th of March, a couple of hours prior to the Second Reading of the Welfare Reform Bill. The Second Reading is the first opportunity for the House of Commons to debate a Public Bill. This means that the debate at Westminster Hall, from 9.30am - 11am, will give MPs a reminder and primer on the issues to raise regarding Disability Living Allowance.

Finding an MP willing to request a debate at such an opportune timing was a major coup, and we hope that many MPs will participate. I will be briefing the organiser of the debate, Hywel Williams MP, early next week, so that he can decide which issues to discuss and where he wants to steer the debate. For this briefing I will need your help and input, so that I can suggest points to be raise from all disabled people and not just myself.

Please visit The Broken of Britain forum to leave your suggestions on points you want to see raised during the debate.

By Rhydian 

I'm fine!

3/01/2011 05:37:00 pm BenefitScroungingScum 19 Comments

I made a bit of a pact with my friend Sue who writes Diary of a benefit scrounger that we would make sure to write regular 'how I am' updates. Typically for two spoonie scrounger types we've either not had time or not felt well enough when we have had time to do a very good job of it. So this is me making up for it. Sorta. I'd go and get a cuppa if I were you and come back once I've finished rambling, it's awful dull.

I went for a deathwalk today. Having had to be rescued by half the neighbourhood recently my friends have expressed concern about my deathwalking alone. So, typically I ignored the advice, went out on my own anyway and got stuck. Having friends in all sorts of places meant that Roland was able to call up another friend who's a paramedic to come and collect me, which all sounded really easy. Except some poor child had the audacity to need an actual paramedic at the same time I needed a lift home so Roland had to come and get me himself. But that was last week - I think. Today I opted for the RNLI option when I got stuck half way through my deathwalk and sat in the lifeboat station with a drink of water until I could make it back home. Although...now I'm writing all this I can see my friend's points. Sort of.

But I am still fine. Or so I keep saying. There's not alot else to be said really. It's just the way it goes for those of us who live with chronic illness or disability and what might seem extreme to you is routine to us. At the moment being so wobbly I look like I'm having a seizure is common place and because my muscle tone is so poor I slump over even more than usual when I sit. Lovely Carer hasn't mentioned anything about weight loss, which is understandable as she still has PTSD from the last time I ended up weighing all of 30 kilos, but I can tell she's concerned as every time she's here she insists on putting food infront of me.

I'm really dislocatey too. Most of my dislocations reduce themselves almost immediately, but come out of the socket too far to be classed as true subluxes. They all hurt, but only the ones where I can feel vertebrae sliding about in my upper neck really scare me. After one neighbour rescue I had to reduce both shoulders, both hips, both knees and assorted other ribs and spiney bits, something I do more times a day than I consciously register so I forget how it impacts on others and was surprised by how my neighbour's eyes filled with tears at the noise.

I'm also more forgetful than usual, so if there was supposed to be a point to this post I'm really sorry but I've forgotten what it might be...