Employment And Support Allowance (ESA)

[Two_Sheds]

how many businesses will struggle because their new employee is needing so much time off sick

Won't happen, because with millions out of work businesses can pick and choose, and they're not going to pick a person with health problems. Would you? I wouldn't.
I had to lie after my cancer and say my health was fine, to get a job. I only have partial use of my left arm and crippling back pain. I struggled on for a couple of years, being manouvered out of 3 jobs because I couldn't keep up with the fit people. I retrained, I got a degree. Then I retrained again. I still can't fully use my left arm. I do voluntary work, but it's unpaid. A paid position hasn't come up in the 5 years I've been doing it. Taking away my benefit isn't going to magically create a paid job for me.

[julesapple]

Won't happen, because with millions out of work businesses can pick and choose, and they're not going to pick a person with health problems. Would you? I wouldn't.
I had to lie after my cancer and say my health was fine, to get a job. I only have partial use of my left arm and crippling back pain. I struggled on for a couple of years, being manouvered out of 3 jobs because I couldn't keep up with the fit people. I retrained, I got a degree. Then I retrained again. I still can't fully use my left arm. I do voluntary work, but it's unpaid. A paid position hasn't come up in the 5 years I've been doing it. Taking away my benefit isn't going to magically create a paid job for me.

I wonder if it will magically create a job, with decent wages (excuse our greed here, bills to pay, food to buy, forget heating) for a 50 year old who can barely walk, needs help with basic hygiene (on bad days) is prone to falling so needs someone with him at all times, cannot sit for more than 20 minutes, cannot stand long enough to cook for himself, or do any housework or gardening.

Job suggestions on a postcard please to;

Iain Duncan Smith
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

[OverWyreGrower]

The whole time whilst having cancer, my sister has had to appeal for all her benefits (DLA etc), despite having medical evidence presented saying that she was too ill to work, was seriously immunosuppressed etc...

She managed to get a home visit for her appeal, and was told that she was well enough to work - this was despite having a Hickman line directly in her chest, a morphine pump in her stomach, having just finished a stem cell transplant, where the assessor had to wear a mask, apron and gloves to meet with her... fit to work apparantly

[julesapple]

O.M.G. F.F.S., OWG, they must have stressed your poor sister out beyond belief. I cannot get over that, I really can't. That is utterly disgraceful - I'm sorry but (polite) words fail me. Just...FFS!

[snohare]

THE FULL FACTS • Index page

This link is to a very good website, currently in the throes of moving. I believe that the list I found of who should attend Atos medicals was at the old website, so hopefully the link will be up and running at the new site.
I take my hat off to the woman who runs it, she is obviously under a lot of stress and rather discouraged, but in my book she is someone to look up to as inspiration.
It will be a cold day in hell that I give up against a system like the one currently in operation. As a keen reader of histories and an ex-human rights activist, I know what happens when a government is allowed to demonise any part of its own populace.
I just don't do politics normally, I look rather at errors of fact or reasoning in all parties; well,I truly think this is the thin end of an dreadful wedge.
That sounds melodramatic, to me at least, but consider this: amidst the proposed legal reforms, one would give the Government the ability to intervene in any court in the land - eg, coroner's courts, civil cases for compensation - and declare all proceedings secret due to national interest. Anyone involved could then be prosecuted by the Government, without being permitted to know the charges against them, their only defense being that of a specially-cleared Government-appointed advocate who would argue their case. Habeus corpus would not apply. Of the 69 such advocates currently used, 57 of them have written a letter protesting that there is no need for such changes in legislation; but the legislation has cross-party support.
If top people in New Labour knew about torture cases in Iraq, they want to be able to hide the fact, rather than face indictment for crimes against humanity; the Lib Dems have no clout; the Tories are increasingly inclined to equate protest with anarchy and terrorism, and are soft on self-regulation. It is a situation that sends chills down my spine.
It couldn't happen here, you say ? Most of the world would disagree. The most commonly used phrase in human rights literature is that of the survivors who say, "We thought it couldn't happen here. We were at peace."

[OverWyreGrower]

O.M.G. F.F.S., OWG, they must have stressed your poor sister out beyond belief. I cannot get over that, I really can't. That is utterly disgraceful - I'm sorry but (polite) words fail me. Just...FFS!

I know... luckily, with some help from Christies, and the hospice team, she won her appeal....

Actually, she is coming off all her benefits this month She is very disappointed to lose her blue badge though!

[Two_Sheds]

OWG, I would have said "unbelievable" but I know how it is in reality. When I was on chemo, just after having half my face cut out (!) I had to leave my home and move to a smaller flat, because Housing Benefit refused to pay my rent, as my house was "bigger than I needed". Yes, that was under a Tory Govt too.

I do feel for those people currently being threatened with a mansion tax. Poor unfortunate buggers, they may have to move to a smaller house to pay their bills. No need to worry though, the Govt won't risk alienating core Tory voters like that.

[Helgalush]

THE FULL FACTS • Index page

This link is to a very good website, currently in the throes of moving. I believe that the list I found of who should attend Atos medicals was at the old website, so hopefully the link will be up and running at the new site.
I take my hat off to the woman who runs it, she is obviously under a lot of stress and rather discouraged, but in my book she is someone to look up to as inspiration.
It will be a cold day in hell that I give up against a system like the one currently in operation. As a keen reader of histories and an ex-human rights activist, I know what happens when a government is allowed to demonise any part of its own populace.
I just don't do politics normally, I look rather at errors of fact or reasoning in all parties; well,I truly think this is the thin end of an dreadful wedge.
That sounds melodramatic, to me at least, but consider this: amidst the proposed legal reforms, one would give the Government the ability to intervene in any court in the land - eg, coroner's courts, civil cases for compensation - and declare all proceedings secret due to national interest. Anyone involved could then be prosecuted by the Government, without being permitted to know the charges against them, their only defense being that of a specially-cleared Government-appointed advocate who would argue their case. Habeus corpus would not apply. Of the 69 such advocates currently used, 57 of them have written a letter protesting that there is no need for such changes in legislation; but the legislation has cross-party support.
If top people in New Labour knew about torture cases in Iraq, they want to be able to hide the fact, rather than face indictment for crimes against humanity; the Lib Dems have no clout; the Tories are increasingly inclined to equate protest with anarchy and terrorism, and are soft on self-regulation. It is a situation that sends chills down my spine.
It couldn't happen here, you say ? Most of the world would disagree. The most commonly used phrase in human rights literature is that of the survivors who say, "We thought it couldn't happen here. We were at peace."

Reading that sent chills down my spine