How could they do this?

[brizzledrizzle]

You're on the verge of losing everything - but you don’t understand why http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-42789610

This should not be allowed to happen, this is supposed to be a civilised country. How could they do this to somebody

I read that yesterday and was sickened. What that man needed was access to someone informed and on his side from the outset, who could fight his corner.

The link to a related story includes a woman who was sanctioned for missing an appointment when she was in hospital having a miscarriage. .

The link to a related story includes a woman who was sanctioned for missing an appointment when she was in hospital having a miscarriage that’s not unusual either. I’ve met more than one woman that’s happened to. Sanctions mean not paying rent, the landlord then takes them to Court for eviction, if they are lucky they get to keep the house but have the stress of the threatened eviction plus the added costs of the Court fees on top of their arrears. All this when they are probably very vulnerable.

JiltedJohnsJulie That's terrible.

Lots of excuses for missed appointments, not knowing you need to pay rent, not knowing the rent wasn't being paid for you,, not receiving letters or messages.

If you don't understand the system then surely it's your job to be an adult and make sure you do.

They mention I, Daniel Blake at the end of the story. Exactly what I was thinking of.

Sound , as you should be well aware, some claimants have difficulty in assimilating new information. As do some employees administering the new system. This can lead to confusion, maladministration and unnecessary suffering. I hate what is happening to our country and hope you never find yourself in a place of need.

Lots of excuses for missed appointments, not knowing you need to pay rent, not knowing the rent wasn't being paid for you,, not receiving letters or messages.

Yeah, these prima donna women making excuses about having miscarriages when they could have gone and bled out in their appointments. These people with learning difficulties, who don't understand how to organise their lives (and are hugely disproportionately represented in the benefit system because obviously), all these losers who deserve to be treated with inhumanity.

To answer your question OP, the reason they can do this, is because this country is full of people like soundButtons. If it weren't, they wouldn't be voting for this Dickensian, heartless system.

I thought TERF wasn't allowed on MN anymore.

Anyway AskA, you know nothing about me beyond the two sentences above. Certainly not how I vote.

What do prima donna women and miscarriages have to do with this article? Did you manage to read the link the OP posted? All the way to the end?

Did you get to the bit about "There is a range of extra support we can offer people to help them manage their money, including direct payments to their landlords, emergency payments and budgeting advice."?

To answer your question OP, the reason they can do this, is because this country is full of people like soundButtons. If it weren't, they wouldn't be voting for this Dickensian, heartless system.. I’ve always wondered who would vote for this. Now I know.

Something that I keep reading about is the power of the assessor.
This is a person who has zero medical training or knowledge - and who may never have even heard of your illness or disability- but whose ‘expert’opinion overrides that of your ownGP/ consultant/ when they decide that you GP is wrong and you are fit to work.
There seems to be no common sense applied to any decisions and EVERYTHING takes so bloody long which is atrocious when you have no money for food.

What is TERF?

SoundButtons isn't wrong though - we need a system with rules. That means keeping appointments, responding to letters, doing what you are asked to do in terms of looking for a job or providing evidence.

People need to take responsibility too - of course it's unreasonable to expect someone in hospital to be at an appointment at the DWP at the same time. But you phone, or get someone else to phone. The problem is people expecting the DWP to be psychic and know why they haven't turned up for their scheduled appointment.

Exactly Yorkshire. We have typed up a list of churches and charities that offer free meals. I’ve had to sit people down before now and give them sone of my lunch when it’s becone clear that they haven’t eaten properly in days.

SoundButtons isn't wrong though - we need a system with rules. That means keeping appointments, responding to letters, doing what you are asked to do in terms of looking for a job or providing evidence

What happens to the people with mental health problems who struggle with all this and have no support? I was talking to an individual the other day who has m/h problems and she has a disability assessment tomorrow - she's been physically ill all week at the thought of going and is convinced she's not good enough to go as she shouldn't be entitled to anything because of her not being good enough.

How do people like that access help?

Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist.

TERF is a derogatory term used almost exclusively for women, whom the more radical elements of the trans community and women supporting these trans people deem to be attacking trans people.

TERF’s have said things like they don’t want self identified males in women’s spaces (eg loos, women only refugees etc) and refuse to be called cis women.

But if you were working and just didn't turn up for work one day without informing your boss and not phoning in there would be consequences too.

People who have health issues - whether physical or mental - can have others advocate on their behalf.

Yes of course people should turn up for appointments etc (when this is within their capabilities) - but taking away someone's entire monthly income and communicating about it in an utterly chaotic and disorganised way, likely leaving them without what they need for food and rent, purely for not having phoned in advance - how can that be justified? It is possible to have a system, which exists for humans and is run by humans, be humane.
The DWP must also be accountable and take its responsibilities seriously, as adults. They are asking people who are already in very stressful situations to be absolutely conscientious, leaving no margin for simple human error, in return for the resources they need to survive, but don't play by the same rules, and allow their clients to suffer as a consequence.

The 'range of support' bit sounds like empty claptrap in light of 'reports of IT issues, massive overspends and administrative problems', problems expanded on elsewhere in the article. On paper there may be support available, but does it actually materialise IRL? Is it advertised, clearly? Is it uniformly available in all areas? Tony Rice's 'work coach' was obviously completely useless as he had to go to a food bank and was at risk of becoming homeless due to the DWP's incompetence.

The GP signed him off for PTSD, the job centre assessed him for been physically able to work.

Polkeriss there is no boss who could legally withhold your month's earnings if you didn't turn up one day. It's a punishment totally incommensurate to the situation.

brizzle
The system is completely against them. I haven’t claimed for PIP for fear of the assessment - dh earns well and I’ve always said give the money to those, who need it more. Dh has a masters, and I have a degree. I was informed by the occupational therapist, who granted me my disabled badge I could pay privately for an occupational therapist to explain the assessment process to increase my chances of being granted PIP. No such help for people, who actually depend on this money.

These stories are horrendous.

I think that if a doctor has said someone is not fit for work, the DWP need to accept that.

It’s not that hard.

I think I read/ saw on tv that there are targets set to sanction a certain number of people. The system is so crooked.

immortal
Agreed. Until someone can be properly assessed by an occupational therapist, they should not be sanctioned. I have heard some horrendous stories about such assessments as well.

I work with a family who are functionally illiterate- they sometimes struggle to feed their son because they don't understand the system which would provide for him. People have helped them to apply for benefits, but if they get a follow up letter during the summer holidays when they don't have access to school staff to help them read it, they simply don't know who to ask for help. It's a lot more common than some people seem to think.

GPs do an amazing job but there should be external medical advisors for benefits.

If you fail to turn up at work and don't ring in then most employers would dock pay and assess whether you were the person for the job.

Benefits aren't that hard to claim, follow the rules and nobody gets sanctioned. You can't take away the rules, the system is already played enough.