cutting benefits-for whose benefit?

General health and lifestyle
1

Hi All,

The majority of people on this site are, rightly so, very concerned about the draconian way in which these seemingly merciless measures are being implemented.

We are told that billions of pounds are being wrongly claimed by hundreds of thousands of scounging lowlife every year and it cannot continue. But, we are also informed elsewhere that these figures are way out and only a small percentage of claiments are guilty of this.

What does not seem to get mentioned are the governments own figures, disclosed under the FIA that up to £20 Billion of benefits per annum go unclaimed by people who are eligible for such benefits.

That would seem to indicate that the target for the government is to cut about £5 billion from fraudulant claims across the welfare systom, at the same time paying Maximus, Atos or whoever else can jump on the bandwagon, £ 1 billion to root out the false claiments, and then when the dust finally settles pay everyone who should get benefits and be about £ 8-10 billion out of pocket. I know these are simplistic figures and does not take into account the cost of running the systom but neither does it take into account the billions returned into the system when false claiments spend their ill gotten gains on "fags, boose and petrol"etc.

2

I neither drink or smoke, I used to have a full and varied life I was also a nurse, however through no fault of my own I became ill, I have c.p and fall quite frequently I also am in end stage renal failure I have limited mobility in my left arm and hand and I now have gout in my right hand due to my renal condition,my hip is so bad I am waiting a special scan as I am in constant acute chronic pain, I cannot go out by myself because of my c.p and I suffer with severe depression because of my varied conditions of which I have told a few of my illnesses,

You say about false claimants and yes I agree their are several on my estate, I just before Christmas recieved a book to fill in for this new pip I was told I had my DLA for the rest of my life that was until Cameron and Duncan smith decided we would all be treated like we,re all on the take

As explained earlier I used to work full time and was an army wife for 25yrs, my husband left me for another woman, he gets an army pension plus a war pension, not for being in any war but because he headed a basketball when he was drunk! Yes all true.

There are many people who do scam the state but why should we all be treated as if we,re scrounges? I am at my wits end constantly worrying wether or not I'm going to have my benefits stopped, I live alone and have a carer who I have for 19 and a half hours a week, although I've had adaptations to my home I still fall over and cannot get up by myself.

A lot of us who truely are ill and disabled are being punished by this goverment because we are all told you can work!! I am prepared to fight for what I am entitled to it makes me mad that this goverment sends billions abroad to other country's who are corrupt and we who were born and bred here are treated like social lepers!

So please don't patronise us who are disabled and really ill stop sending aid to other country's and concentrate on getting the real crooks illegal immagrants, people traffickers and close the doors stop sending child benefits to those who's children don't even live in this country! Then maybe just maybe we won't have to suffer the indignity of having to be punished because we're too ill too work, believe me if I could work I would and it's a bitter pill to swollow knowing I can't.

So look at it from a different angle and look to this goverment and the money they waste on other country's, not everyone is a crook.

3

You are spot on there Mike.   The message given out by this ideolocally driven Govt. is that  a large amount of benefits are paid erroneously to false claimants.   They then spread this simple message which is taken up by the media and passed on to all of us.   A lot of people choose to believe it so they can jump on the bandwagon of 'bash the current lepers of society'   They do the same with immigration..  At any point in history you will find groups specifically singled out and targeted depening on the social mores of the time.   At the moment it's benefit claimants and migrants.

It's called divide and rule - set the workers against the claimants,  set us all against the migrants and so forth.   Anyone who tries to take a balanced view is dismissed as stupid or a member of the PC Brigade.  I despair of people sometimes.  x

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4

Well what are you expecting from a party which has defended the banks from an inquiry?  They havn't even attempted to get companies like Starbucks to pay the tax they should be paying.

As for gov figures, I have never believed them and never will. Why? well take the unempoyment figures for example, anyone on JSA who is put on to a scheme or who are told to do voluntary work and stuff like that are then not considered 'unemployed' the moment they start, and thus are not a part of the unemployment statistics. It's just a way for IDS to boast about how 'successful' his reforms are. The guy sickens me, he has wasted 100 of millions on UC, let alone computer systems which still crash a lot I have found out several times.

5

Hi Angelmate, i so agree with every word you have written hear, you should copiy and paste the whole message and send to the petition for  reading about stopping peoples DLA that were given it indefinatley. This catergory and all those that are pension age in my opinion should be left alone.

Having said this im well aware there are millions who are being hounded to go back to work because they are of the working age catergory regardless of their disabilitys, i know cos i have two in my own family right now, neither one of them getting the PIP when they are both in pain all the time and really cant work.

Im just gratefull that at least when we both lose our DLA we have at least our state pension to exist on.All those of working age are cut off and left with nothing and exspected to crawl down to the job center to claim job seekers allowence, some arnt even allowed to claim this as they are told by the this section you clearly arnt well enough to claim JSA as you cant work so they are sent away with nothing.

Problem is our government arnt answereable to anyone as they are the government so what to do and who to get us to listen to us a!

 

6

When I was able to work, able enough from the age of 15. I worked in a printing environment - it was heavy work. I had my daughter and then went part time so I could look after her.We were both working parents

You never invisage what could happen in the future. I worked without benefits and even took another evening job to make up for the shortfall of PartTime work. My hubby was a miner and we all know what happened next!

I became ill in 2000 with pneuimonia and then had complications. When I tried to claim sickness benefit (I was in an industry that didn't pay when sick) I couldn't. They said that I was 2 stamps short. Anyway after a time with worsening sickness and the prospect of not being able to return to work, I decided to start my own business so I could do as much or as little as needed. I still hadn't got any benefits not even JSA. My business grew and was sucessful and I ended up employing 12 people - then things started to go wrong. I became seriously ill with the disease I have and I had to give up the business as I was in and out of hospital fr over 2 years. The fact I had paid my stamp for 10 years after starting my business meant I could claim sickness benefit and that was the first time in my life I ever claimed. I was 45

I sickens me when I hear the word "scrounger" Like most people on here I worked bloody hard and would still be doing so if not for this horrible illness. I'd give anything not to have it and I'd love to go out and earn a living. To work is companionship, a sense of pride and worth. It's the one thing I had been brought up with. Both my parents worked all their life until retirement so benefits were never a part of my family

The system is broken and I agree with all the comments on this thread. I'm not lazy I'm ill,  I'd much rather be well and working

7

Well what can i say to you, every word from the heart and from a hard working lady with a hard working husband.

This system is indeed broken along with many casulties with it. Yes there are scroungers but there are many many that are not and you and your husband clearly not one of them. Theres a fast difference between lazy and ill and its about the time the goverment saw through this  Our grand daughter is struggling to work with M.S. its affecting her vision, her bladder, her legs and her hands, she was turned down for PIP apparently because she was 'trying' to work, didnt want to be classed as a 'scrounger' What was she supposed do give up her job, sit around and hope she got PIP, She doesnt drive so hobbles along to the bus stop to go to work and back.  A broken system, a harsh and cruel one too.

Sue 

8

Well I am another hard worker.  I finished school on the Friday at age 15 and started work the next day and have worked full time all my life until 56.   Then with some health problems I took too much time off work and was sacked.  I have not been able to get another job since (not one I can do in this area anyway)  and am now 61. 

I was called all sorts when I claimed JSA - lazy, scrounger,  and told there were plenty of jobs out there.   Thank goodness for private pensions - they are not much but they keep me from having to sign on JSA and be subject to their now draconian terms and conditions.  

I have worked hard all my life and now I am a lot older and worn out I am treated like a piece of dirt.   To make it much worse they have changed the goal posts very quickly so now have to wait until 65 plus for my state pension,  even though I am fully paid up and more.  So I have to somehow survive for the next years on a pittance and try to not go bankrupt.  It makes me mad it does.   x

9

Hi Yes another victim through no fault of your own, its about the time they realsied that us who get targeted in out late 50s and early 60s have infact probably worked for the best part of our years. As you say they keep changing the goal posts to for reaching pension age.

Ive said before even if we dont get the PIP im greatfull for the low state pension we both recieve, its better than nothing. as so many are finding themseves in this situation as well. x 

 

10

Not just Starbucks but Amazon,  Google and goodness knows how many more.   Also 'celebs'  like Jimmy Carr,  Wayne Rooney,  Gary Barlow etc. are doing it too.  The system is sick.   Maybe if we hit them all by avoiding them we can bring about changes?  I am not holding my breath though...  Bev x

11

Yes I heard there are around half a million of us Susan.   I refuse to be victimised though and don't think of myself like that.  I am tough and have coped with far worse during my life but it is harder when you are older isn't it?   When I finally get my state pension I am determined to live to at least 96 to get the full benefit   Bev x

12

 Yes Bev you do that 

        Sue x 

13

Yes you are right about the amount of money that goes unclaimed. The worst offenders are those over 60 believe it or not. Years ago it was government policy through the TV, newspapers etc to advertise this fact. They actually went one step further and asked HMRC to check their records against the DWP system in order to identify those over 60 that should be getting Pension Credit but had not made a claim. They started sending them money in the hope that after the 6 months they would start a claim to continue these payments. Surprise, surprise, only 5% of those that had been identified as entitled and had received the 6 months of Pension Credit actually made a claim for it to be continued. The rest just didn't bother. Then they tried to get Age UK involved by paying a commision for every claimant over 60 that they managed to sign up to Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance.That was shelved after a few months as there were no takers.

How do we make sure that everybody claims their entitlement? You can't!

So the government have rightly assumed that as the take up is so slow with very few people being interested in claiming a benefit once they reach 60. They are looking at other ways to use the money.

We already know that Pension Credit is on it's way out, and I now find out that Attendance Allowance is also being closed down. The government's thinking is that what they will save in getting rid of Attendance Allowance and slowly reducing the worth of a Pension Credit award some of that money can be chanelled to the local authorities who are crying out for more money to support the elderly with a better care package. 

People only have themselves to blame when the government start diverting benefit money that isn't claimed  for one reason or another towards something else and someone else that will glady take it off their hands.

And on the subject of PIP - this is portrayed in the first instance as a 'benefit for working age people'. I presume that with the going of Attendance Allowance the disabled elderly will have to fend for themselves in future until they become so criical that they need professional care which will be paid for out the the value of their assets.

14

Les i didnt know pension credit was on its way out, oh no! its only buy getting a low amount of this one that we are getting our council tax paid at the moment, what happens then when this ends. Dont tell me we loose pension credt then our DLA and then on a lot less money we are to pay out more! sounds about right.

Sue 

15

Hi don't panic it's only because Universal Credit is coming in instead.   I think most people will be worse off but hopefully not by a huge amount.  The way it's going though it might be a long time yet.  x

 

16

Thanks,for posting that - I should have qualified my statement re UC.

But you are right, UC will in the main see most people worse off if they are not working. Age will not come into it. If you have to rely on benefits and especially means tested ones it is more likely that you will be worse off - even those receiving the State Pension.

What really upsets me is that when Attendance Allowance goes there will be no benefit that takes into account any form of disability and the needs arising if you are over 65 if you don't already get PIP/DLA.

17

I should also have mentioned that the transition away from Pension Credit has already started for those already receiving it. With the amount that the State Pension rises each year the government are not increasing the upper limit (applicable amounts) by the same figure. So in effect the qualifying limit for Pension Credit is being eroded meaning that because of the annual rise of the SRP, those already receiving GPC are finding that their income is taking them out of qualifying for GPC.

18

Hi les I had just logged in and saw that so thought I had better set the poor lady's mind at rest a bit.   Is AA really going for good?  Isn't it being replaced with something else like PIP?   That's awful.

I will be one of the few better off on UC as currently coz I  have a private pension I wouldn't be entitled to Pension Credits anyway.  I will get the full UC though.   x

 

19

Hi Les sorry but what do SRP, and  GPC stand for?

20

You too   Bev xx