Suicide because of Benefits Being Stopped

[StridTheKiller]

Another casualty of our brutal benefits system. RIP.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/dad-who-took-life-days-28813953

Because the alternative is to compare against ‘perfection’ which isn’t possible in the economic state we’re in, and is never the case for anything.

Yes it is brutal and what claimants, especially those with genuine ill health are subjected to, the humiliation they suffer and the damage to their mental health having to fill out those forms, you’ve no idea what you’re talking about if you think the benefit system isn’t brutal.

Our benefits system is not at all generous and the system is VERY brutal.

We say suspended

Unfortunately a regular occurrence in my place of work

@helford in France benefits are only paid at that rate if you have worked long enough to qualify, and are only payable for two years. I think many in the UK would vote for that, would you?

I used to claim WTC as a single parent 18 years ago. I needed to give 6 months bank statements, proof all my earnings, my savings and attend every 2 weeks to show I was looking for full time work.
Went in November see if I can claim UC as only working 18 hours in a Christmas job. Ticked a few boxes online and went for an interview to prove my Identity ( not even interested in anything else) and told me there and then they were happy to pay me every month.
I asked when I needed to show evidence of getting a job but the lovely lady just replied “ you have a job” and then asked if I needed a loan tk tide me over as it would be over a month before getting any money.
Got full time work lined up in January but frankly if I can get away with 18 hours work and my rent paid there’s not a lot of incentive at my age.

The term third-world derives from countries that were neither affiliated to NATO or the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. As such, it include countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland, amongst others. I’m not sure how that helps reinforce your point.

FFS

How on earth is someone supposed to live on 70 odd quid a week? That's ridiculous. Where I am it is just over €200 a week I think and there are various other top ups if you qualify and that's if you've never worked. What do you do if you need knew shoes for instance or a winter coat? I can't imagine how someone could describe that as 'very generous' and I'm wondering what your own salary is that you think 70 odd quid is a decent amount of money for an entire week?

I agree it would be difficult to get a manifesto with this but Is this all benefits? How do disability benefits work

The system is definitely brutal. A mentally unwell friend was being investigated because for a very brief period she had more in savings than you're 'allowed' to have and receive benefits. She was totally terrified she'd have to pay back money and/or lose her benefits; she had no updates on the investigation and was in a state of appalling anxiety for nearly a year. Only when she was on a call with a rare helpful and supportive DWP person about something else, was he kind enough to look into it, and told her the files said it was closed months ago with no further action. They never bothered to tell her, someone on record as being mentally unwell. She absolutelyvcould have killed herself just from the lack of that information.

Do France and Germany have the equivalent of housing benefit that is added on top of unemployment benefit? If not, then you're using facts in a very misleading way.

What someone actually gets out of Universal Credit will also depend on the family they have to support.

My dad died in the same way the man in the article did, and I have a deeply unpleasant visceral reaction when someone says "hung" rather than "hanged" when talking about suicide. I can't explain it - other than "hung" feels inhumane and callous. (I don't even like typing it). So I agree with you, albeit maybe for different reasons.

And language around suicide is always important. I'm still getting over the idiotic term of "completed suicide". Thankfully few people use that now.

@Wenttoohighwantdown
Sorry for your loss 💐

Probably over sharing, but both my younger brothers had illnesses that prevented them working, both after about the age of 25. Both lived off full benefits for over 25 years each, had carers, furnished apartments etc.
The benefits system is more than adequate in the UK.

Been watching The Duke on Christmas Day TV? @Dotjones A character there made exactly the same observation about the word hanging that you did.

Not appropriate on a thread like this.

@Dotjones & @Onnabugeisha for fuck's sake, disgraceful

I've read enough to know that posters are correct about it being brutal. I would not like to be in a position to have to rely on benefits for any length of time. I can only imagine how difficult it must be.

How recently was that?
The benefits system 25 years ago was a bit different to say the least.

Being on disability benefits doesn't mean that you get a furnished apartment or a carer by any stretch.

Sorry but this is nothing more than anecdotal and not representative of the lives of so many living in dire poverty who are not able to cope on the present system.

It definitely isn’t generous to disabled people with the Tory’s forcing people who can’t work to sign on. They’ve been criticised by the UN for the treatment of disabled people and them being denied benefits they need. It’s a disgrace. We are a first world country and compared to other wealthy countries we do not have a generous system.

But are we really a first world country after the demographic change of the last 25 years? So many more needy people claiming now. The ONS figures referenced by a pp are grim.

Non goady but what do you mean forcing the disabled to sign on? As in, look for work?

Probably funded by Continuing Healthcare rather than benefits