Am I right? Is he wrong to claim?

Wkdwill

Hi

Im just wanting some other peoples opinions.

A family member has been on IB for around 3 years now, originally due to having 2 knee replacement operations, the last one being at least 18 months ago.

Now the thing is, I believe that he is wrongly claiming IB, most of his family believe he should be getting a job now, his knees occasionally become a bit stiff but he takes no pain relief, he spent most of last year building a new fence round the front and back gardens and over the last few months he has been building decking for the back garden.

He missed his last medical a few months ago due to having a sickness bug that a few of us had at the time.

I just think its unfair that many people are having there IB stopped and yet he is still continuing to receive his.

I now think the last few years doing nothing have made him lazy, he has no intentions of getting a job, he has picked up application forms but never fills them in.

Am I right in thinking he shouldn't be claiming IB?

Oldernotwiser

It certainly sounds like it; I'm amazed that he can just "miss" a medical and have nothing happen to him.

Fran

Have you spoken to him about it?

Spending "most of last year" doing a fence does not necessarily mean he is physically able to a full time job. If he had put it up in a day it might be different.

He might have physical and mental issues that he has decided are none of anyone else's business.

It's up to his doctor to decide when he is fit for work.

It doesn't sound like you really want to help him "it's unfair..." etc. If you do, go and speak to him about job possibilities.

Wkdwill

Fran wrote: »

Have you spoken to him about it?

Spending "most of last year" doing a fence does not necessarily mean he is physically able to a full time job. If he had put it up in a day it might be different.

He might have physical and mental issues that he has decided are none of anyone else's business.

It's up to his doctor to decide when he is fit for work.

It doesn't sound like you really want to help him "it's unfair..." etc. If you do, go and speak to him about job possibilities.

It isnt really my place to speak to him about it as he isnt a direct family member of mine, his wife, son and daughter all believe he is now just milking it for all he can, but none of them are willing to talk to him about it as they know it will just start an arguement.

When I say he spent most of last year building a new fence, this isnt because it took him that long to do, its because they could only buy so much wood per month due to income, he got whatever he had bought that day done in the same day.

He no longer needs any doctor or hospital appointments and hasn't needed any in the last year, he needs no medication or pain relief for anything.

As for his doctor, dont even get me started with her, my DH and my friend have the same doctor and her answer for everything is a sick note. There are a number of times my DH has been and come home with a sick note thats gone in the bin, same goes for my friend.

Its not that I dont want to help him, trust me we have all tried, every job that has ever been mentioned is somehow not what he wants, or we have received the muckiest look ever.

I know many people work with much more things wrong with them with is why I believe what he is doing is wrong.

Fran

Wkdwill wrote: »

Its not that I dont want to help him, trust me we have all tried, every job that has ever been mentioned is somehow not what he wants, or we have received the muckiest look ever.

Well maybe he's got some depression by now even if he didn't before to some extent (must be hard having legs done), his immediate family really do need to talk to him, if they aren't communicating something's wrong in that relationship. Good luck.

Oldernotwiser

Fran wrote: »

Well maybe he's got some depression by now even if he didn't before to some extent (must be hard having legs done), his immediate family really do need to talk to him, if they aren't communicating something's wrong in that relationship. Good luck.

That's a bit of a circular argument, isn't it? He's playing the system by skiving and that's making him depressed so he's not skiving really! Are you a politician?

Fran

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That's a bit of a circular argument, isn't it? He's playing the system by skiving and that's making him depressed so he's not skiving really! Are you a politician?

Depression is not "playing the system", it can make people unable to make decisions and have lack of motivation (the "not filling in application forms" and "every job that has ever been mentioned is somehow not what he wants, or we have received the muckiest look ever" mentioned by OP). It's not a "circular argument", just another possibility.

cheap_charlie

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It certainly sounds like it; I'm amazed that he can just "miss" a medical and have nothing happen to him.

So am I - have never heard of that happening before.

healy

If you feel strongly about it report him. If you dont feel so strongly about you will need to speak to him about it. If you are not really bothered say nothing. It is really upto you to decide.

To be honest it seems better that this thread is in Discussion time as it is not really a benefit query where there is a clear answer to give.

Mar.cresham

I think that you are jumping the gun on this matter at the end of the day this man has had two big opps done on his legs YES HIS NOT YOURS. He is the only person who knows 100% how he feels are whats going on in his life You said yourself that you are not A family member of this man so you only hear what they want you to. Men hide things from there familys and friends when there ill and takes them longer to go see a doctor so there could be alot more to this then your hearing or seeing has for doing work putting up a fence as you said he didnt do it all in one go maybe he did it on his good days

Oldernotwiser

Fran wrote: »

Depression is not "playing the system", it can make people unable to make decisions and have lack of motivation (the "not filling in application forms" and "every job that has ever been mentioned is somehow not what he wants, or we have received the muckiest look ever" mentioned by OP). It's not a "circular argument", just another possibility.

That wasn't what I meant and I know quite as much about depression as you do, both personally and professionally!

You said "maybe he's got some depression by now even if he didn't before" ie. he's become depressed because he's skiving off work! In other words he's justified being on IB because he's now depressed, even though he gets it because of his legs.

That's what I call a circular argument!