Attitudes toward those on benefits disheartening.

[AWizardsSleeve]

I am chronically ill; I worked and paid in to the system for years before becoming too poorly to work. The condition I have causes crippling fatigue; it’s not tiredness, it’s debilitating, life limiting fatigue.

The recent announcement of the cost of living help for low income families has brought out the worst in people and frankly, makes me feel worthless. I’ve stopped reading the comments sections in the media as it makes me feel like trash.

From family and friends, I’ve had remarks such as: “I work hard for what I’ve got and there’s you being paid to watch TV”. Said in a lighthearted way of course

“It’s wrong how hard working people get nothing and those that don’t, get it all handed to them. Oh but I’m not talking about you.” Yes, you are.

“I know someone who has 4 missing limbs and they still have a job, why can’t you work?”. When I’ve tried to explain that fatigue can be a huge barrier to work, I get told about another inspirational person and if I really wanted to, I could.

My own sister threatened to report me for benefit fraud (jokingly of course) . I told her to go ahead as I have nothing to hide.

Family call me the ‘benefit expert’ and it’s so hurtful. I have never told them that I receive benefits but they assume and bring it up every time I see them.

I’ve lost any chance of a career and I spend my days in pain and exhausted. I dread the week as I’m so bored being stuck at home. I do also try to live life as I have children but heaven forbid if I take them on a day out, because it means I’m not truly unwell (they don’t understand the suffering I go through after).

I told my other sister I was being referred for more testing and she rolled her eyes and said “what’s wrong with you now?”. I rarely talk about my illness because family don’t understand it and are very unsupportive. I had to hold back tears and make an excuse to leave.

I cringe when doctors ask me about my occupation and I’m so embarrassed to say I don’t work. I hate this. I hate every second of it and the attitudes of people make it worse.

I’ve had to fight the system repeatedly in spite of medical evidence to get financial support. The fear of it being removed every few years and wondering how I will survive in old age keeps me awake at night.

Do people really believe people choose to live with this worry and the shame that comes with it? I feel so disheartened and upset today.

@Crikeyalmighty

Respectfully, how socially minded are you if the first thing on your mind when the discussion turns to benefits is those abusing the system?
We don’t automatically talk about embezzlement around bankers, we don’t automatically talk about elder abuse around care workers, but when the discussion turns to benefits everyone wants to talk about fraud.

My mother scammed the system forever.
My disabled neighbour needs more benefits.
While people can choose to claim free money for life . Those that actually need it are suffering

OK, so for so much exhausting fatigue and debilitating declining mobility. You could claim approx £150 PW on PIP.
ESA, about £100PW.
£67 PW carers allowance if appropriate.
None of these are guaranteed and in no way enough to pay a mortgage.
Some folk need to wind their necks in!

Here's the thing though. They contradict themselves.

So the life on benefits is so good is it? Then surely they can see why it's desirable (in their mind, I know for some on benefits it is)

Yet it's also the worst most degrading life ever? Doesn't add up does it?

Then it's all 'oh 500 a month to do nothing! where do I apply? Might quit my job'

Erm, at the Job Centre, go right ahead? Oh no that's right, you would actually not want to live that life at all, love your job, and feel it gives you massive respect and self-worth?

So which is it? Jealous? Or look down on them? Can't be both.

__

Don't let that get to you though, you have a disability, and presumably cannot work - so how is that your fault? So why the feelings of worthlessness? What are you meant to do? Starve to death so the benefits system can save 500 a month?

_

So in all those people are just not worth thinking about. They've been trained to hate other people like them (aside from not working) by the media mostly which is owned by those in power who profit from us hating one another instead of looking upwards at how much those in power take from us, the workers and low income people. They're weaponised and it's just sad. It's clearly not about money being wasted, but about hating those you're trained to hate by those who should be hated.

Lastly, wow, your family are vile, really, really vile and it would be great if you could never see them again because none of what they say is in any way called for.

@Sugarplumfairy65

This was due in the main to criminal gangs taking advantage of the lack of checks for new uc claims during covid.

This is true.
I’m just irritated by the number of people who think that absolutely everyone who claims benefits is doing so legitimately.
No questions asked. No suspicions can be raised.
Any mention of benefit fraud and you are a bigot.

The problem is, genuinely entitled people fall foul of a system designed to catch people out. This is, of course, outrageous.
As with so many things nowadays, the ‘system’ does not work for the as it should for the people it is there to help.

I’ll try again! 😄

As with so many things nowadays, the ‘system’ does not work as it should for the people it there to help.

I see what you're saying but I think you're wrong. I think it does come from a hateful place because it's about resentment. The correct place to direct the anger is the low wages and the absolute piss take that is the gas and electricity price rise, when those companies double dip, were done for double dipping, have huge profits, and overcharge people all the time, it's happened to many people I know.

So directing your resentment at people in receipt of benefits is just lazy and does come from a place of hatred towards those who receive them.

One could even turn it around and say why don't they better themselves and get a better job? Surely the anger and resentment and the effort to voice that could be channelled towards that instead?

So then why is it not an even huger issue and source of anger for you that MPs profit from taxpayer-funded second homes? Genuinely, why?

(it's because it's not about taxpayers' money, it's about snobbery)

@mypinkslippers

So then why is it not an even huger issue and source of anger for you that MPs profit from taxpayer-funded second homes? Genuinely, why?

Umm.. That is a very strange thing to say considering that I haven t spoken about MP’s second homes on this thread or any other thread! How do you know what makes me angry?

MPs fiddling the system, claiming tax relief & expenses they are not entitled to, their ridiculous ‘perks’ and allowances all make me angry.
Any mismanagement or waste of public funding makes me angry.

Exactly, you haven't because you choose to concentrate on the small amount of money in comparison that comes from benefit fraud.

I'm assuming you don't usually comment about MPs second homes, and I know this assumption could be incorrect, but I don't think it is.

That was my point.

I 100% empathise wit you, OP.
I have severe adhd along with other things and can't work.
People can be bastards, mainly my own fanily

The problem is that there ARE those who commit benefit fraud, and the system also seems quite lenient to the able bodied who just don't want to work, or work cash in hand while claiming. Yes there must be a welfare system for those who need it, but it could use an overhaul. It's a shame if someone in genuine need is perceived as not deserving, but sadly that's the way it is.

It is kind of telling when some people are more concerned with how the poor spend their money, than how the rich spend theirs.

@ginghamstarfish the last overhaul left disabled people literally dying of starvation, what would you suggest, and how do the cash in hand workers do their 35 hours a week online for their Universal Credit?

@ginghamstarfish right now for every genuine fraudster caught, a multiple are put through hell, have their benefits cut, have to appeal (which they then win) and suffer endless misery and stress. If you are OK with that, you have a problem. There will always be some fraud, but as has been mentioned hundreds of times on hundreds of threads, the amount left unclaimed that people are actually entitled to (and this includes disabled people who cannot face the hell off appealing an unjust denial of their benefits) far outweighs the amount lost to fraud.

@ginghamstarfish the last overhaul left disabled people literally dying of starvation, what would you suggest, and how do the cash in hand workers do their 35 hours a week online for their Universal Credit?
@ginghamstarfish right now for every genuine fraudster caught, a multiple are put through hell, have their benefits cut, have to appeal (which they then win) and suffer endless misery and stress. If you are OK with that, you have a problem. There will always be some fraud, but as has been mentioned hundreds of times on hundreds of threads, the amount left unclaimed that people are actually entitled to (and this includes disabled people who cannot face the hell off appealing an unjust denial of their benefits) far outweighs the amount lost to fraud.

Late response but - I am severely disabled and receive PIP. Yes it was a struggle to get it, had the usual lying/incompetent assessors, and involved appeal at tribunal, so I think I do know something about this. However why, on MN, is it always shouted down to state facts such as 'benefit fraud exists'? I'm sure quite a few of us know someone who defrauds the system in many ways, ie taking cash in hand, not declaring income, saying they live alone to get lower council tax, etc etc. Why the gnashing of teeth when someone states a fact?

Op please don't let family and friends away with 'jokes' at your expense. Pull them up EVERY TIME.

@ginghamstarfish I don't dispute that there are people who cheat the system. I do dispute the idea that cracking down in the way this government do does anything positive to address the issue. Their methods harm genuine claimants. If the choice is that some people get away with cheating but genuine claimants are better protected than they are now, that would be my preference. The current system is dreadful for people, as you yourself know.

I spent yesterday morning at a PiP assessment (as a volunteer supporter) with a person who has cerebellum atrophy, their brain is literally shrinking. They were assessed by a physiotherapist who knew very little about this and the fact that symptoms are very similar to dementia. She spent most of the hour and a half trying to catch them out. This person had to go through hell. Didn’t understand half of what was being asked of them, I answered for them. I’d rather they got their PiP though than not, because a few cheat the system.

I see both sides of it. In my job I see people who don't claim what they are entitled to claim and feel embarrassed and those who battle to get every little bit of help going through humiliating assessments like your client.. However there are many others who are out to cheat the system. I have had clients 'forget' the extra house they own, forget to declare the extra relatives in their multigenerational household etc. Today I was advising a client on claiming DLA for their child and they said to me "numerous friends have told me that I have to exaggerate everything on the claim form, is that correct ". Well no, actually it isn't just be bloody honest and provide evidence. I have clients currently that I'm pretty certain have signed away their million pound six bedroom house to their kids and are each separately trying to claim pension credit. I had another ranting away at me yesterday saying that they were being penalized as they had saved 50k and now can't claim means tested benefits. It really grates, and yes before you all have a go, I know I need to look for another job.

Babyroobs, that just sounds like hell on Earth!
It’s hard to see the cheaters, and I’ve been there too, but there really aren’t that many. As you are aware, there are more unclaimed benefits than there are cheats.

I've seen on a lot of FB groups people telling others to only talk about their worst day. I've pointed out that's not the case and been shot down for it.

They then have their assessment, fail and then moan about how they've failed. (and yes, as someone whose been there, I know the assessors lie and twist a lot of things too)

And it's only going to get worse as the economic situation worsens. I get some really funny looks at the benefits office. The staff are so rude.

"we have created a system where those he can't be bothered or are too lazy to work get benefits" Have you been living under a rock for the last twelve years?

It's such a frustrating system and seems designed to keep the poorer part of society fighting amongst themselves so they don't notice what the really rich are doing. It's hard for those rightfully claiming benefits, it's hard for those working hard and seeing others on benefits better off than them, it's hard seeing people fraudulently claim from a system that should be there for those who genuinely need it.