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A Letter Going Around To Claimants In Support Group

September 28, 2014
by

I don’t know what to say.

from → disability political policies, politics
13 Comments leave one →
  1. Maria's avatar
    Maria permalink
    September 28, 2014 1:08 am

    did they send one to someone who has cancer and has weeks to live? because it wouldn’t surprize me if they did. This government has to realise that there is always going to be a bunch of people who are ill and disabled and some can’t and won’t ever be able to do it and giving people false hope that they can get a job will lead to disappointment and worse serve mental illnesses. and worse still telling people they can work when they can’t and taking their benefit away, when they have no other support and can not support themselves, its not right.

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  2. k Whittaker's avatar
    k Whittaker permalink
    September 28, 2014 1:16 am

    I suspect it’s just what one could call a “blanket notification”, automatically generated for all in receipt of ESA, and by taking it on face value (based on that concept), then there is little wrong with that, however, as human beings, different people will read it, and understan it, in different ways.

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  3. Steven Preece's avatar
    Steven Preece permalink
    September 28, 2014 2:00 am

    Are these ESA claimants being mandated to attend or ‘invited’? There is a big difference, because legislation states that people in the Support Group are not required to take part in work-related activities, unless they freely choose to do so. If anyone IS being mandated/threatened to attend please contact me at editor@welfarenewsservice.com, including evidence if you have any.

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    • Sunny Carol.'s avatar
      Sunny Carol. permalink
      September 28, 2014 8:20 am

      A friend of mine is on ESA. He has a defective aortic valve replacement, Throat cancer and arthritis his spine, hips and knees, he also suffers from bad depression. He is three years away from retiring age. He has been and still is being threatened, bullied and harassed by the job centre, some back to work scheme and ATOS. He has to go to stupid interviews every month and some of these have taken the form of an interrogation. He has been made to feel frightened, intimidated and isolated. This poor man can not work and who would employ him anyway. Oh and all of these bully tactics are mandatory. He is getting to point where he can not take much more of it.

      ATOS have sent him for a medical where he was declared unfit for work. If you are unfit for work and can not work then surely that is it. End of. This poor man has been pushed from pillar to post and now they are trying to get him to work. The whole thing is ridiculous and it stinks.

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    • Dreamer.'s avatar
      Dreamer. permalink
      September 28, 2014 10:21 am

      Its also worrying that you are being asked to phone if ‘unable’ to attend, rather than phone to confirm you would like to take up the offer. What happens if you dont phone? what further questions might you be asked if you do? In view of the DWPs appalling treatment of ill/disabled people, i would have thought a letter of ‘support’ from the jobcentre will only cause a great deal of anxiety for many people, who have enough to contend with as it is.

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      • Lucy's avatar
        Lucy permalink
        September 28, 2014 12:00 pm

        This is what worries me too. No mention of compulsion, but no mention of voluntary attendance either. This letter would put me in a tail spin, as every communication from DWP does.

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      • Spoonydoc's avatar
        Spoonydoc permalink
        September 28, 2014 1:06 pm

        Exactly. I would have no issues with a letter informing me of such an event and inviting me to attend if I wished. But this letter has put me in it without asking me and it looks like I *have* to tell them if I need/want to pull out. What happens if I don’t/forget to tell them? Will there be repercussions? Will there be repercussions anyway if I don’t go?

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  4. jim strang (welfare rights consultant)'s avatar
    jim strang (welfare rights consultant) permalink
    September 28, 2014 10:44 am

    if you are in the support group you can choose simply to ignore it. that is your choice it is no more than a blanket invitation.

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    • Spoonydoc's avatar
      Spoonydoc permalink
      September 28, 2014 1:01 pm

      That’s what I thought until I got to the very last line demanding you phone if unable to attend. I’d be concerned if I received a letter like this. It is quite different to receiving one informing me of the event and “inviting” me to it. I would have no issues with that. Personally I’m too sick to go, but there may well be some people in the support group who might be interested.
      But this has put me in it without asking and I need to pull out. What happens if I don’t phone to tell them? Will there be repercussions?

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  5. A6er's avatar
    A6er permalink
    September 28, 2014 12:15 pm

    Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.

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  6. https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=197588960402203&id=100004533006465&set=a.103843543110079.8511.100004533006465&refid=17&_ft_&__tn__=E. No cctv. Detective held blood. https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=197588930402206&i's avatar
    Neil Scott £160,800 so they say in a Burglar with out Motive or stolen items permalink
    September 28, 2014 2:59 pm

    DWP took away My PSYCHOSIS After Law Courts stated I should seek help they took away the help,£100 per fortnight Gone,No Medical help how is DWP Above the UK LAWS. https://neilscott1blog.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/burgar-gets-paid-for-crime-to-stop-allegations-of-corrupt-clevelandpolice-officers-teesside/

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  7. Max's avatar
    Max permalink
    September 29, 2014 9:11 am

    I was on Invalidity Benefit, then Incapacity Benefit and now ESA Support/ Under labour I got invited to volunteer to go on a New Deal Course with A4e. Up untill then I had had dreams of getting back to work. The course was insulting and degrading, They even told me that the 5 years I had spent getting a University Diploma were a waste of time and all my qualifications were usless. Thery were usless as was their course. The JC used to be helpfull but they are no good anymore. Nuff said!

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    • Nick's avatar
      Nick permalink
      September 29, 2014 11:48 am

      same with me max a few years back the DWP took me by car over a 3 month period to work interviews with not a hope in hell of any business finding me fit for work as at the time was only 6 stone and had to be propped up by 2 DWP staff at all times

      they use to shout at me on so many occasions calling me a complete waste of space and swear at me and in general abuse me throughout the day

      i still have the 50 plus interview rejections for proof on what types of work they wonted me to carry out

      all the work interviews they took me to from aircraft guarding to cabin staff / supermarkets / security/ DIY you name it they took me there

      i went to the police but they couldn’t help as the DWP are a law unto themselves the abuse only stopped when i went down to 5 stone and still today at 8 stone I’m still trying to recover from the past

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