AIBU to be incensed at the inequalities in the benefit system? (long sorry)

[Libran70]

I read MN every day and think how awful it is that so many people are struggling to cope on inadequate benefits and of the nit picking interviews they have to go through to get anything extra. And then there's ASOS causing so much upset and forcing disabled people to justify their existence.

I know there is a very small minority who play the system but they seem to be the only ones we ever hear about. So many people are struggling, no one should have to go to a food bank to feed their children.

However, there are cases where the money could be shuffled around and aimed at those really struggling.

My cousin is autistic and she lives in a wonderful complex within the community. She has a flat (bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom) and there is a care worker on call 24/7. SWs call daily to help her prepare meals, do her washing, take her shopping and so on. She also has an active social life, organised by SS and a local charity. She also has a supported job washing up in an old people's home close by. She sees her remaining parent every weekend and they go on holiday together. She pays for her own holidays and some of the care from her allowances.

This really is an example of excellent care. She was recently reassessed and she is entitled to every penny she gets in allowances and benefits.

However, she has a five figure amount of money in savings. All of this is saved from her benefits and allowances. I hope she has a long life ahead of her but when she dies this money and a lot more, I guess, will go to her family.

AIBU in thinking that this would not be fair? And AIBU in thinking she is getting far too much (at the moment) and there are people out there who need it more?

I don't think that all benefit claimants are committing fraud at all. I was merely commenting on an existing conversation within the thread.

Oh dear *Owllady"

I know it as fact. It is my friends Dad. He has openly admitted that he has fabricated his "disability".

It doesn't have to have been reported and investigated to be a fact you know.

No, but it does have to be real
But then my friends uncles brothers nephew once said something too once as well

I don't think it's me that is living beyond the realms of reality.

It's interesting that you find it impossible to accept a truth because it doesn't tie in with your own beliefs.

Owl like I said I'm not particularly interested in debating the fact, especially with someone who is disillusion enough to believe that something like benefit fraud where this particular benefit is concerned doesn't exist at all.

I think I'll just leave this one here.

It's not my beliefs, it's based on my own direct experience of the system.
I am not under any delusions. Have a nice evening.

Oh dear *Owllady"

I know it as fact. It is my friends Dad. He has openly admitted that he has fabricated his "disability".

It doesn't have to have been reported and investigated to be a fact you know.

It's all well and good being all kinds of patronising, but when you come up with shit like this: Owl like I said I'm not particularly interested in debating the fact, especially with someone who is disillusion enough to believe that something like benefit fraud where this particular benefit is concerned doesn't exist at all.
It just makes you sound thick. Now, go away, get some facts, not anecdotes and try and a) argue your case properly and b) use big words properly.

Dawn

How does it make me sound thick? As for using "big words properly" it was auto-correct on my phone but i sincerely apologise for that offending you.

What case is there to argue? There was an existing conversation regarding benefit fraud and I commented that I know of someone who does claim fraudulently.

If you really don't think this type of benefit fraud exists then quite frankly that is delusional.

I think everyone here knows it exists. but that the reality is it is less than 0.5% of claims.

Those are the facts.

Amberleaf I fully understand that, I never disputed that. In fact I'm sure I said something along the lines of it being a very difficult thing to do but it's not to say it doesn't happen.

The fact that I know someone seems to offend people, I have no idea why.

Meep Of course I'm aware that it exists, I'm also aware of the figures. As I said upthread. It was your rude and patronising tone to Owl that pissed me off, so you got it back.
If you know somebody, report them, don't come on here and make life difficult for those of us who live with disability day in, day out, for years on end.

Well Dawn I'm sorry my tone offended you but I didn't care for Owl's tone either so it's swings and roundabouts really.

I do know someone, I won't be reporting them and I certainly don't see how I have made life difficult for someone who lives with a disability by stating a fact.

I haven't implied that anyone on this thread claims fraudulently, I haven't claimed that's is easy to fake a disability in order to obtain these benefits. All I actually said was I know someone who claims fraudulently, that's it.

If people really know people who are committing benefit fraud then the right thing to do is report them. Coming on here complaining that disabled people get too much money and that too many DLA claimants are not genuine or needy enough is just downright pathetic and mean spirited. Try having a severe disability for a day, pay for numerous taxis, pay for a cleaner, pay for a helper and then come back and say that DLA and motability schemes are too generous.
FFS, talk about targeting the most vulnerable.

The shortage and misuse of tax money has very, very little to do with welfare payments and everything to do with bank bailouts. I think it is wonderful that your cousin is able to live a full and happy life with her disability and that is why we pay taxes, so that we can all be assured of a certain quality of life for ourselves and our nearest and dearest in the event of disability or unemployment. What I object to is how much money is going to keep the banks afloat.

So report it again or does he have a disabiliy that perhaps YOU are unaware of and he doesn't want you to know about? They don't ignore reports of fraud....it is unvestigated. The fact it has been investigated and nothing seems to have happened means there is either not enough evidence of fraud or just possibly that there is something else you are unaware of.

I am not silly enough to thibk that benefit fraud with regard to disability does not exist....of coursr it does and people are prosecuted for it. the fact that these often highly publicised cases are part of the 1% quoted estimated fraud figure is amazing as by the publicity you would believe the numbers to be higher.

Wherever there is money to be had you will find dishonest behaviour. However by rubbishing the 1% figure you are in fact allowing yourself permission to doubt everyone who has to claim any form of disability related benefit.

The DLA form for example is horrendous, it cross checks in several places and you have to provide a mass of evidence. I am sure a determined fraudster given lots of time (you cannot just send in a form with no evidence so to build this up takes time) could make a fraudulent claim.....but they would need repeated GP visits, possibly further tests and referrals before they build this up.

In addition some illnesses vary, I have a friend with severe agoraphobia, many days she cannot leave the house. On a good day though you might see her having coffee in a cafe with me. Doesn't take away the fact that she cant get on a bus, is anxious in public and would be unable to work reliably on most days.

What you see is not always the reality.

My DS is autistic.....he can look and seem very "normal" (whatever that is) but in a supermarket or by a busy road is a nightmare....especially if it is noisy.

Things are not always what they appear.

Meep Coming on here and saying that you know someone who is claiming fraudulently (and worse that you won't report them) minimises the real life experience of others. It's people like you that make ATOS make our lives hell, that support the insidious little narrative this government feeds the Daily Mail, for every one person that says publicly:'I know somebody fiddling' there are probably around forty people reading it and making assumptions. Thanks to this sort of rubbish propaganda disability hate crime has increased, disabled people have become afraid and depressed and ATOS have been allowed to flourish, all because everybody, despite the figures, knows somebody who is fiddling and doesn't fucking report them.

I would just like to clarify that I do not think that DLA claimants are not genuine or greedy at all. And I would never ever think that they don't deserve every penny they get.

There is a small minority that aren't genuine but I would never assume someone was claiming fraudulently unless I 100% knew they were.

Well I apologise if you think it is minimising peoples experience, it wasn't intended to and still don't see how stating a fact has done that but I am sorry you feel that's what I have done.

The fact of the matter is it does happen. It isn't right but it does happen.

Jake I have never reported the man. I have no intention of doing so. Rightly or wrongly he is my friends Dad and I will not ever report him.

If someone else does well, he deserves it but I won't be the one to do it.

I have said in a previous post, I don't think he has ever been reported.

I have no idea what my to be comes across like on line but I really am a bit exasperated by people thinking we live the life of Riley when the opposite is true. I had to live my whole childhood alongside my sister in chronic pain every day and die a tragic early death whilst my mother struggled to cope. Then I have seen myself how vulnerable my own daughter is and how the world is a frightening place and how her disabilities have caused me to also have to give my life to caring. We don't need to be ridiculed or accussed of fraud and we don't want to have to fight the system every day, let alone fight the ignorance in society. So if my tone comes across in a certain way, maybe you can understand why.

I had to go to the funeral of a child last week who was severely disabled, to think anyone could if would of thought his parents put it on. Should be working. Etc. Are the subject of financial envy? Well, it turns my stomach

If you know he is definitely committing fraud and you do nothing about it then you are just as bad as him, so stop bleating on about it.

If he is commuting fraud you can report him anonymously. Seriously, I think it would be for the best. All of you who know somebody, report them.

I agree with WooWoo. Depending on the severity of your cousin's autism, it is unlikely would be able to find/sustain to support her financially or allow her to put some money aside. This is something that's out of her control. It's not like she's had some bad luck but it will probably pick up again soon; it's her life. The system is doing a fantastic job for your cousin.

Bleating on I presume that is the same as being asked a question and answer it then?

As I said I apologise if anyone feels that by saying I know someone that fraudulently claims that I have minimised their situation or have been offended by it. I apologise. WhenI rejoined this thread that was what the conversation was on at that point.

What I won't apologise for is defending myself when being called a liar, thick and several other things by posters just because I dared to voice an opinion.

Threads like this are great for updating my in my head reasonable poster and twats ,cunts and wankers spreadsheets.

However threads like this are generally nasty goady bollocks that upset people who have plenty of shit in their lives already.