ATOS loses ESA & PIP Assessment Contract

dktreesea

tokenfield wrote: »

Sorry, have I missed something? I've not screwed the system at all - I have worked with the system. And I'm certainly not gloating. All I am saying is that the many people that I have come across that claim ESA or DLA, the vast majority in my opinion are more than capable of doing some work.

All they need is the encouragement to get out there and take a gamble/risk - you won't know what you are capable of until you have tried it.

Nope, the system isn't 'squeezing' me, I'm quite happy in doing what I do - being forced to fend for myself - on a pittance from the benefit system and to keep boredom at bay has been the best thing that I have ever done.

It's not just the ESA/DLA recipient who is taking a gamble at working; so is the employer. There are not many employers who would take a gamble on taking on someone who is not at an optimal fitness level, when there are any number of able bodied, healthy applicants for them to choose from.

If the government is so convinced that disabled people can work, then give them jobs to do or change the playing field so that being disabled doesn't count for benefits, i.e. just an out of work benefit or an in-work top up. So far all I have seen is a concerted effort by the government to get people who are disabled off benefits without giving them any work to replace their lost income.

tokenfield

dktreesea wrote: »

It's not just the ESA/DLA recipient who is taking a gamble at working; so is the employer. There are not many employers who would take a gamble on taking on someone who is not at an optimal fitness level, when there are any number of able bodied, healthy applicants for them to choose from.

If the government is so convinced that disabled people can work, then give them jobs to do or change the playing field so that being disabled doesn't count for benefits, i.e. just an out of work benefit or an in-work top up. So far all I have seen is a concerted effort by the government to get people who are disabled off benefits without giving them any work to replace their lost income.

Self employment is the way to go.

schrodie

tokenfield wrote: »

Self employment is the way to go.

How can those in a Persistent Vegetative State or a long term coma or those people who are severely mentally and/or physically handicapped become self-employed?

mazza111

Well, call me lazy all you want Andy, I'm happy to be getting my ESA. I am unemployable the way I am atm. Self employment isn't an option. There aren't enough hours in the day as it is. As for sitting around doing nothing... I wish!!!!!!

Brassedoff

schrodie wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see what the evidence is from this individual especially when they think that someone in a Persistent Vegetative State can do useful work!!

dori2o wrote: »

Evidence?......

Yet again on here the rent a mob jump up and down when an opposite opinion is placed.

If I go back to the official government figures (and I suppose they are the only figures anyone can go by), 90% of claimants were found fit for work.

"Nine out of ten people who have been claiming incapacity benefit have been found fit to work, new statistics reveal." Metro News (April)

There will always be a small minority who cannot, I would happily concede that. However, to many, and many cyber warriors appear to be interested in writing themselves off with "special condition this" "hopeless tiredness that".

If I posed the question another way I bet if people were honest (and I don't expect them to be). "If you were able to do SOME sort of work that did not exceed 16 hours per week and were allowed to keep your benefit and 100% of your earnings, could you think of some sort of work, either at a place of employment or home, you could do?

As for the original point, I understand SERCO, SECURITAS, G4S, PHILIPS HEALTHCARE, BLUEBIRD, OCS, REED and some PCS groups are looking to tender for the new contracts that wil come out.

CTcelt1988

Brassedoff wrote: »

Yet again on here the rent a mob jump up and down when an opposite opinion is placed.

If I go back to the official government figures (and I suppose they are the only figures anyone can go by), 90% of claimants were found fit for work.

"Nine out of ten people who have been claiming incapacity benefit have been found fit to work, new statistics reveal." Metro News (April)

There will always be a small minority who cannot, I would happily concede that. However, to many, and many cyber warriors appear to be interested in writing themselves off with "special condition this" "hopeless tiredness that".

If I posed the question another way I bet if people were honest (and I don't expect them to be). "If you were able to do SOME sort of work that did not exceed 16 hours per week and were allowed to keep your benefit and 100% of your earnings, could you think of some sort of work, either at a place of employment or home, you could do?

As for the original point, I understand SERCO, SECURITAS, G4S, PHILIPS HEALTHCARE, BLUEBIRD, OCS, REED and some PCS groups are looking to tender for the new contracts that wil come out.

Even if 90% of disabled people can work, employers are still reluctant to take them on. It's up to employers to show that they are willing to employ disabled people. Sadly, some still see it as going to cost them financially in terms of adaptations, time off etc.

dori2o

Brassedoff wrote: »

Yet again on here the rent a mob jump up and down when an opposite opinion is placed.

If I go back to the official government figures (and I suppose they are the only figures anyone can go by), 90% of claimants were found fit for work.

"Nine out of ten people who have been claiming incapacity benefit have been found fit to work, new statistics reveal." Metro News (April)

There will always be a small minority who cannot, I would happily concede that. However, to many, and many cyber warriors appear to be interested in writing themselves off with "special condition this" "hopeless tiredness that".

If I posed the question another way I bet if people were honest (and I don't expect them to be). "If you were able to do SOME sort of work that did not exceed 16 hours per week and were allowed to keep your benefit and 100% of your earnings, could you think of some sort of work, either at a place of employment or home, you could do?

As for the original point, I understand SERCO, SECURITAS, G4S, PHILIPS HEALTHCARE, BLUEBIRD, OCS, REED and some PCS groups are looking to tender for the new contracts that wil come out.

You say that you can only use the 'Official Government figures' and then go on to highlight a sensationalist headline in a newspaper as your proof.

IDS has been reprimanded for claiming that 75% of claimants are fit for work under the new tests, and recently even the Daily Mail has had to conceded that the figures and statistics it has been spouting are wrong and do not reflect the the actual position.

1. Those figures do not differentiate between those whose claim ended naturally after an illness and who voluntarily returned to work.

2. It doesn't make reference to the 40% of tribunal claims that are found in favour of the claimant.

If you are going to rant on and claim Government statistics say this that and the other, then at least have the nous to find those statistics to prove your claims, not quote spurious headlines from some rag.

Brassedoff

Who's ranting? Not me, if someone is quite happy to sit on their bum when they are able to do some sort of work, it's up to them!

On the other hand, if they try and do some sort of work or set up their own business, good on them.

This site has a little click of mafioso, who will jump on anyone, not toeing the party line.

:T

sunnyone

Come on Brassedoff, what job can someone with my disabilities do?

A door stop maybe?

You have the headline disabities that I have posted on this thread, there are others but they are not as important and I repeat I want to work if at all possible if a suitable job was available (as in a job I am caperble of doing, not holding out for something totally beyond my reach which some job seekers seem to hold out for on the benefits boards)

I spend over 90% of my time in the bed the NHS provides me with because its the only place I even have a chance of being comfortable.

Then of course there are the drugs I must take to move at all, "hillbilly heroin" robs you of some of your intalect nnnnnnnnfd

Brassedoff

sunnyone wrote: »

Come on Brassedoff, what job can someone with my disabilities do?

A door stop maybe?

You have the headline disabities that I have posted on this thread, there are others but they are not as important and I repeat I want to work if at all possible if a suitable job was available (as in a job I am caperble of doing, not holding out for something totally beyond my reach which some job seekers seem to hold out for on the benefits boards)

I spend over 90% of my time in the bed the NHS provides me with because its the only place I even have a chance of being comfortable.

Then of course there are the drugs I must take to move at all, "hillbilly heroin" robs you of some of your intalect nnnnnnnnfd

Sorry, it took me too long to read your actual post, I was filling up all the time.

If you are content to live on hand outs without trying, fair enough. If you had NO benefits, what would you do? Starve, curl up and die.

That's not for me, that's not for many, many others. I feel sorry you have such low esteem of your own abilities you believe you are unable to even do work as a proof reader (tell me what would stop you from doing that? No eyes? No hands? Cannot read? Yawn)