Our state is rotten.

[Sunsun21]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/28/philippa-days-family-call-for-urgent-changes-to-benefits-system?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

This system is rotten, absolutely.

Are you going to just lob in a link and then bugger off, or are you actually going to come back and contribute something to the thread?

@itsbiganditsorange, like, you couldn’t read the story in the thread for yourself and work out why the OP is understandably worked up? Do you need to be spoon-fed everything in your life in order for you to compute?

I don’t think the point @itsbiganditsorange was making was that she didn’t want to read the link @SmaugMum. No one likes a thread where the OP throws in a bomb and then leaves. It reeks of shitty journalism for one.

@MustardMitt, fair enough, I’m not too au fait with the (somewhat archaic) rules of etiquette on these boards. As a newbie who likes to consider themselves a reasonably well-mannered and polite person, I’m pretty aghast at how people think it’s ok to be so downright rude, condescending and patronising to their fellow humans. I guess we’re all different.

I wanted to invite some discussion about the benefits system snd how brutal this process is do so many people. I wanted other women and mothers to see this because it’s important.

[quote SmaugMum]@itsbiganditsorange, like, you couldn’t read the story in the thread for yourself and work out why the OP is understandably worked up? Do you need to be spoon-fed everything in your life in order for you to compute?[/quote]
With all due respect, I prefer an actual conversation between posters rather than having a link thrust under my nose and being expected to read it.

Yes, I could have read the story and commented on it, but why should I, when the OP couldn't even be bothered to even say a word? If they were that worked up they would have said so. They didn't. They might even be drumming up clickbait for all I know, and I don't open links like that on principle.

[quote SmaugMum]@MustardMitt, fair enough, I’m not too au fait with the (somewhat archaic) rules of etiquette on these boards. As a newbie who likes to consider themselves a reasonably well-mannered and polite person, I’m pretty aghast at how people think it’s ok to be so downright rude, condescending and patronising to their fellow humans. I guess we’re all different.[/quote]
Well some might say you managed it just fine, even though you are a newbie.

Well, when you have disability assessors routinely lying on the reports they make and getting away with it, then it demonstrates that they don't give a shit about vulnerable people. The whole system is designed to put people off applying or driving them so far into the ground that they just give up or kill themselves.

Yes, that poor, poor woman and her family.

The DWP can be brutal and if you are at all vulnerable or incapacitated you really need an advocate to deal with them on your behalf.

They played some tapes of her crying down the phone to the DWP. We have lost a lot of kindness and humanity when people ignore the desperation and misery of that poor lady sobbing.

I think they should discipline the whole department that dealt with her case and the minister should resign. It's a form of corporate manslaughter. Oh and take back in house Capita's role. They are just as bad. So inflexible and faceless corporateness.

And the targets should be for customer ratings/dealing with cases fast and double points for sorting out cases that go wrong.

There should be a kind, welcoming and efficient environment instead of the 'hostile environment' they create. Above all kind.

All these systems are designed to create maximum confusion, administration, convolution for the user in addition to a sense of shame, being cap in hand one the one hand and inadvertently pushed to overstate one’s disability ( an awful process particularly when doing it on behalf of ones child) and in the other they are designed to create a sense of shame , guilt and powerlessness in the recipient.

Much time is spent by charities helping people to fill in these forms in a bid to get them the basic support they deserve. I’m sure their resources could be better diverted.

Sorry “ cap in hand on the one hand “

[quote SmaugMum]@itsbiganditsorange, like, you couldn’t read the story in the thread for yourself and work out why the OP is understandably worked up? Do you need to be spoon-fed everything in your life in order for you to compute?[/quote]
The irony in this post is amazing.

It's a shitty system, designed by sadists. Do other first world nations treat welfare claimants like dirt?

Anyone saying the benefits system isn't brutal wants to try going through it. I was reassessed 2 years ago, the assessor lied through her teeth, twisted everything I said, left me housebound by taking my car off me. I was lucky by getting everything back pre appeal stage, but the assessor should have been sacked. I'm still ill from the trauma 2 years on, constantly terrified because they can reassess you whenever they want.

The UK benefits system is designed to be inherently punitive. It has always been like that; it was bad under Labour and they did little to help, but in the past 10 years it has got massively worse. It's obscene, but people keep voting for governments who do this. This leads me to conclude that it must be what most people in the UK want to happen to those less fortunate than themselves.

With all due respect, I prefer an actual conversation between posters rather than having a link thrust under my nose and being expected to read it.

You know theres an option to scroll past and ignore rather than go on the attack?

As far as I know its not against.the MN rules to post a link without comment.

@bellropes

Well, when you have disability assessors routinely lying on the reports they make and getting away with it, then it demonstrates that they don't give a shit about vulnerable people. The whole system is designed to put people off applying or driving them so far into the ground that they just give up or kill themselves.

Absolutely this. I've worked in welfare rights for some years now, and it just gets worse and worse.

Late last summer, I helped a very unwell client with a PIP form. She has complex MH problems and a host of phsyical health issues, all of which had strong supporting evidence, and is very vulnerable.

I returned to work last week after a long spell of compassionate leave, and found that she had been awarded 0 points for all activities. I am absolutely stunned. A two minute telephone conversation with this client would convince anyone that this is a very vulnerable person who struggles with loads of everyday stuff. The only feasible explanation I can come up with for this outcome is that there is a quota for awarding PIP and that they'd reached the threshold for that day.

This client had been getting enhanced rate for both elements. Her health conditions are unchanged since her last assessment. And this was the second time she'd submitted a renewal, the first time it got lost somewhere between DWP and Capita.

I've come across some bloody appalling decisions over the years, but this is the worst.

I work for the DWP and I agree with some of what has been said it really depends on who you speak to when you call. I know with my claimants I definitely go above and beyond to help them in every way but some people don’t - god bless Phillippa

@itsbiganditsorange im with you.
I am fed up with people just posting links.

As far as I know its not against.the MN rules to post a link without comment.

Well it bloody well should be.

As @itsbiganditsorange said, I am not going to click on some random link that has been plopped down with no context or comment from the OP.

I'm lucky enough not to have ever needed benefits. The thing that keeps sticking my throat is that whenever some poor person in need of help suffers, or is this sad case dies, all they say is that lessons have been learnt.

But it doesn't appear so, as it keeps happening. Even if lessons are learnt that person wasn't helped when they needed it, it's too late for them.

it's about time that the culpable are called to book. They shouldn't be allowed to hide.

And also it's about time this frigging government gave a shit about normal people and provided a decent service rather than farming things out to profiteers, who frankly don't give a shit unless it impacts their bottom line.

@billyt yes you’re right it cd be an amazing system but sadly it’s all pushed out to contractors who I wd imagine are party donors it’s very depressing seeing this happen. It could be amazing but there’s no appetite for change too much beurocracy and nonsense