Incapacity Benefit Question

GlasweJen

and woodbine, i didn't want to write myself off at the grand age of 18 when i was informed that i could, i'm only 22 now; surely most teenagers would have chosen getting to leave home and study something they loved in the hope of getting a good job over living off state handouts in a glasgow housing estate for the rest of their lives? That was my choice and i actively encourage those with a similar choice to really think about it, once you put yourself on the scrap heap it's hard to get back off of it.

donnajunkie

GlasweJen wrote: »

actually i was entitled to incapacity under the youth rules and never claimed it, i do claim DLA but this can be an in work benefit. There's a difference between taking what you're due and taking the urine and i think that by taking the attitude of the OP i would be doing the latter. No wonder us disabled people have a bad rep.

i am sorry but if you qualify for something and dont claim it then you are being silly. disabled people are given a bad rep because the media, tory party and now labour party are all pushing the same view that has been around for years about the unemployed. i'll give you an example of their mentality. in an interview about what should be done to help the unemployed. david cameron was asked isnt it degrading to work full time for benefit when other people get the minimum wage for the same job. his reply was it is more degrading to sit at home all day taking benefits. so what we learn from that is that he thinks all people claiming jsa are layabouts who spend all day everyday watching tv. most of the media and even the labour party seem to think this way. this view is slowly getting to be the view about the disabled also. well it is being pushed by all three mentioned. that is the impression i get anyway.

donnajunkie

GlasweJen wrote: »

and woodbine, i didn't want to write myself off at the grand age of 18 when i was informed that i could, i'm only 22 now; surely most teenagers would have chosen getting to leave home and study something they loved in the hope of getting a good job over living off state handouts in a glasgow housing estate for the rest of their lives? That was my choice and i actively encourage those with a similar choice to really think about it, once you put yourself on the scrap heap it's hard to get back off of it.

that is a great attitude to want to work hard for yourself. i hope you get everything you work for, just dont feel embarassed or bad to claim something you qualify for and dont think it is wrong to do so. if you get a very well paid job i can understand not claiming but while you are a student and only working part time you should claim everything you are entitled to.

GlasweJen

everyone around here equates disabled with lazy already. I was 13 when i first got this condition and i can't really remember not fitting life around it now so it makes sense for me to do what i've always done and just try to fit in with the healthy. I did have a good role model, my boyfriends dad is a type 1 diabetic and he works for a huge pharmacy company and earns a fortune though technically he was incapacitated under the old rules. That's what i like about ESA it gives people like me the opportunity to look for suitable work rather than making me feel like my life is over because of a medical condition that even a professor of cardiology struggles to fully understand.

GlasweJen

woodbine if there ever comes a time when i need it then i'll take it but under the old rules i didn't need it but i could still get it, how does that make sense?

donnajunkie

GlasweJen wrote: »

woodbine if there ever comes a time when i need it then i'll take it but under the old rules i didn't need it but i could still get it, how does that make sense?

well not wanting to take this off topic. talking of benefits that people can get regardless of their income and really shouldnt be able to i name child benefit. you can be a millionaire and still get it if you have kids.

GlasweJen

i know and it's crazy, surely people with kids should have planned ahead before getting pregnant? If you can't afford a child then don't have one! £20 a week for having a kid is mental, surely someone else can be benefitting from that money?

donnajunkie

i understand your view but people can have unplanned pregnancies. in a civilised society you couldnt really then say tough s*** if you are struggling. we couldnt have a situation were children were starving whether due to their parents inrresponsibility or something else. child benefit should be means tested though.