IDS and "reforms"

Gingerbiscuit_2

So what do we all think of Ian Dunken smiths reforms for all of us on incapacity??

Already worrying about it already, sure lots of other people are the same. Shame that in market with so many employed that even if there are some people who are now off ill but possibel could work its not like jobs are easy to come by and someone with a poor heath/work record isnt always going to inspire confidence with new employer.

Can we ever really trust private companies when goverment has already decieded certain % are capable of working!

Prinzessilein

I am in a state of panic! (Tends to be my default state-of-mind!)

I can not work. My GP and specialist agree on this. They don't even want me looking for work.

I used to work. I was doing well too. I never chose to end up disabled. I am petrified that I will son be called up to ATOS who will totally ignore my condition (Highly likely - I have ASD, and ATOS are not known for their care and concern of people with mental health conditions!) I will be passed as fit for work and transferred to ESA. The resultant cut in money will be tough, but bearable. (I will cope - I've had years of 'coping') but I will NOT be sent on a training course!

I used to work for one of those Training Provider places. Actually, I worked for a number of them! I know people on them now and they have not changed - just in name.

I hoestly don't know what will happen to me. I can't work. I would dearly love to be able to. And I have qualifications and skills (A degree, I'm a qualified teacher, I have experience of running my own department...) I am not afraid of hard work! But I am incapable of work at the moment. And will probably never inprove.

And yet this government (and let's face it the last one was no better!) want to force me to take a cut in benefit and put me onto ESA. And there is talk of abolishing DLA (Iain Duncan Smith has stated this before). If I'm really lucky then I'll be permitted to live out my days in poverty. In all likelihood I'll be found 'fit for work' and forced to take a job that I cannot do (if there is no job available the government plan is that we should do 30+ hours of community work for our weekly benefit). My mental condition is such that if the actual strain of work doesn't kill me, then I will probably kill myself. ...But hey, one less person for the government not to care about.

(Sorry! You've caught me on a bad day!)

Gingerbiscuit_2

Its ok I could have written it myself ! Although I have different illness I dont have firm dx so its not as straight forward as it could be, think we all fear having to live rest of lives on poverty handouts. Although noone would want to live on JSA at least for majority its only short term thing.

I'm also concerened when/IF! Im moved from incapacity to the new payment that it implies that even if you are too ill to work that you will still be told to attend/do something to keep you in "work readiness". Although of course noone should be allowed to linger forever on Incapacity there is danger of being held forever in employment support when nothing you would like more is to have you old life and job back.

Glad other people out there watching the news with sense of doom, hard to explain to friends who are fit and well.

sunnyone

no jobs and sickness benefits are totally diffrent subjects and the goverment are reliaing ob this argument to split us and win.

we need to seperate the two and fight them seperatly.

Indie_Kid

Prinzessilein wrote: »

I will be passed as fit for work and transferred to ESA.

ESA is the new benefit given to those who aren't fit for work. JSA is for those who are fit for work.

[Deleted User]

my motto is"never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you"
the whole question of ALL benefits will be a minefield in coming years,but remember in 1997 blair appointed frank field to "think the unthinkable" 12 months later he was sacked for doing just that.

Oscar_The_Grouch

woodbine wrote: »

my motto is"never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you"
the whole question of ALL benefits will be a minefield in coming years,but remember in 1997 blair appointed frank field to "think the unthinkable" 12 months later he was sacked for doing just that.

Well said!! IDS has been given a thankless task that will probably be the end of his days on the front bench. His role in the government is a nod to the right wing of the Conservative party and he's been placed where he is precisely so that he can be a complete bar-steward and then get the boot when everyone is horrified by his views.

If everyone would please stop the mad panic and just get on with living, we'll all be much happier. I think the only people who should be worried are the civil servants, as they are far more likely to lose out than any of us!!

Prinzessilein

sh1305 wrote: »

ESA is the new benefit given to those who aren't fit for work. JSA is for those who are fit for work.

It's not quite as clear cut as that. There are two ESA groups. One for people who cannot work and one for those who could be supported into looking for work.

My very real worry is that when the time comes for me to have a medical that I will be classed as either fit for work and pur on JSA or able to be supported to work and put in the Work-Related group. I am in no way ready for either of those options.

Why will no government accept the medical decision of my GP and my specialist? Or, failing that I would be quite happy to have a government medical with a trained medical professional, who has specific knowledge of my condition. Instead of which the medicals are carried out by clerks whose training is in using a decidely suspect computer program.

I realise that I have not yet been called for my medical. But it will happen. My condition means that I am constantly anxious and so cannot simply sit happily and wait for the letter which may come today, or may be months away.

I am not work-shy. I would dearly love to work again. I know that I would probably never get a job that pays even half what I used to earn. but I would do anything. I would become a cleaner, I'd sweep the streets, I'd go down the sewers and clean them! Being disabled and unable to work is not my choice! However it is the way things are.

If te government had an ounce of compassion they would reassure people like myself that we have nothing to worry about. Instead each gvernment, labour, Conservative, Lib-Dem, Coalition, Whatever just seem to have litte interest in the genuine plight of the chronically ill and genuinely unable to work.

There are benefit cheats. (But nowhere near as many as the government and media would have us believe - most claimants are genuine). Yes, weed them out. Take away their benefit. Make them work.....But please, find some way of actually helping the long-term ill.

cydney65

What gets me is the fact that everything I do with regards to my health, I have to have one mind on how the DWP will view it. For example, at the moment, on top of my chronic physical problems, I have some severe mental health difficulties. I was due to see my psychiatrist yesterday to review my meds and ended up in such a state on the Wednesday night that I’ve been flagged as at risk with the crisis team. I want rid of the psychiatrist altogether, but how will this affect any future claims, and if I’m like this with the psychiatrist how on earth will I be with an Atos advisor?

Because I claim DLA and IB, I feel almost as if I’m owned by the DWP. I spent a week in hospital last month for 6 days and the very first thing I did when I got home was ring them to let them know I’d been in!!! Oh, they said, you don’t have to worry about less than 28 days, but I’ve been chastised in the past about this sort of thing so I’m not going to give them the chance.

I spend half my life at the GPs (again tonight) because I want every little thing catalogued so that the government can’t say I’m not ill, and to cap it all they ignore what the doctors and specialists say anyway, so I’m chasing my tail for nothing.

Sorry rant over, but seriously IDS, try and reassure the genuine claimants that we will be treated fairly and sensitively.

CydneyX

TOBRUK

woodbine wrote: »

my motto is"never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you"
the whole question of ALL benefits will be a minefield in coming years,but remember in 1997 blair appointed frank field to "think the unthinkable" 12 months later he was sacked for doing just that.

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

Well said!! IDS has been given a thankless task that will probably be the end of his days on the front bench. His role in the government is a nod to the right wing of the Conservative party and he's been placed where he is precisely so that he can be a complete bar-steward and then get the boot when everyone is horrified by his views.

If everyone would please stop the mad panic and just get on with living, we'll all be much happier. I think the only people who should be worried are the civil servants, as they are far more likely to lose out than any of us!!

I really do agree with woodbine and Oscar The Grouch and we should all calm down and not panic! It is only recently that checks have been done with changes to IB claimants - the clean up or reform proposals passed from last government with the new ESA!

They will probably change the ESA title with added jargon and rules to show they are changing things again! I only recently received an IB assessment letter stating that I was within the range for receiving my IB because I was receiving HRC and HRM DLA! I wonder if in future I will be receiving another letter for an assessment or other.

One thing is certain, there is no need for panic and whatever the changes they are proposing they will go ahead regardless. I think we should wait and see what happens - what is the point of worrying needlessly?

There have been big problems with the new ESA (replacing IB) with assessments etc and many of the bad and wrong decisions made highlighted on the news. This will happen with the new proposals that is certain, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

colin13

IMO this is mostly a lot of talk,,can u imagine sendind every one on IB,for a medical,,then passing them fit to work,,then having the problem of the appeal process,,the system will go into meltdown,,I do belive IDS will tnkerwith stuff around the edges,,and maybe make it tougher to get certain benefits,,but IMO it is all smoke and mirrors