Oh wow! So very obvious the posters who've never used the benefits system or certainly not recently.
15 years ago I would not have imagined I'd be in the situation I am now. All it takes is an accident, sudden illness or bereavement and you can be in deep shit!
Claimants are being told even have it in writing their housing benefit is being paid straight to their landlord only to discover when they receive an eviction notice it hasn't been and dwp start back pedalling.
"Just phone in if you can't make appointment" there's very few people manning the phones it can take several days to get through to someone even if calling repeatedly.
Even when claimants are providing medical evidence of why they couldn't attend they're being sanctioned. Many of these sanctions are being overturned on appeal BUT the appeals take MONTHS so by that point they can easily be homeless.
Claimants are sanctioned wrongly or for the most petty nonsense but if dwp cocks up you'll wait till hell freezes over for an acknowledgement let alone an apology!
Assessors are outright lying about claimants abilities - been proven several times.
"Benefits aren't that hard to claim" when did you last claim? Have you a mh condition or learning disability? You're clearly literate which gives you a boost compared to many.
"The papers, blogs, forums, social media, are all FULL of examples such as the miscarriage one where people have been sanctioned for ridiculous reasons." Yep! On a FB page I'm on this past week 2 members sanctioned - one was in a&e being treated for a broken arm, one was unconscious following a heart attack when their appointment times were.
There's numerous posts by people needing to inform dwp they can't attend for legitimate reasons but they cannot get through on phone or online (online system regularly crashes too) asking if anyone knows alternative numbers which they don't because they keep the phone numbers for the various offices very well hidden.
The majority of claims denied for sickness/disability are overturned on appeal.
I've got 2 degrees, many years working with computers and even I won't even attempt to fill in the forms myself I always after the first time (of being denied my claim which was then overturned on appeal) go to experts with experience in how the current system is working for help to fill in the forms and whatever else is necessary. These services are not advertised and they're certainly not signposted to people by dwp ever!
AND these services whether provided by the council and paid for or through charities are being cut to the bone so they're struggling to provide enough support to all who needs them.
I've a friend works in local dwp, UC is a completely new set of software, legislation and umpteen forms - they've had 2 hours training she herself admits she hasn't a clue how it works and is constantly having to contact the in-house information providers and she's having as much difficulty getting replies as claimants are.
"These things are explained over and over again to people" except they're not!
I had a letter recently that was so full of double negatives and appalling grammar and words I'm not even sure are real I with a degree in english couldn't understand it!! When I called the Person I spoke to was tearing their hair out because that was all they'd dealt with for DAYS was people calling in to have that letter explained to them!
Recently dwp have had to admit/confirm 1/5 deaths of claimants are suicides likely linked to issues with claiming. And as Becca says that DOESN'T include those who had a history of mental illness prior to claiming.
Yes yes yes to the gut wrenching dread felt when the postman calls.
"It's an ideological campaign against the poor, the ill, the dysfunctional." Yes!
And all this before you even consider the bonkers premise that this is to get people back into work WHEN THERE AREN'T ENOUGH JOBS AND THEY'RE DOING NOTHING TO CREATE ANY!