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

I agree, the issue is may people don't agree with that view.

However its what even people working full time have to forgo too if their earnings are not enough to cover anything more than rent/mortgage, basic bills, travel for work and food.

Sorry, I was misinformed then on the UC angle. I know those on ESA did not get it though.

@Dovahh I’m just curious/nosy but how is your husband able to care for 2 children, one with SEN, but is too unwell to work? It seems like a lot of pressure on you.

Both DH and I work full time and haven’t had a holiday since 2018 and that was to Scotland. It isn’t a bed of roses for working people so naturally they can’t make benefits ‘better’ than that.

@Onnabugeisha

The rate of Fraud overpayments was 3.0%, which is a slight increase from 2.9% in FYE 2021. The monetary value of Fraud overpayments increased from £6.2bn to £6.5bn.
The rate of Claimant Error overpayments was 0.7%, a small increase from 0.6% in FYE 2021 and the monetary value of Claimant Error overpayments increased from £1.3bn to £1.5bn.
The rate of Official Error overpayments was 0.3%, a small decrease from 0.4% in FYE 2021 and the monetary value of Official Error overpayments decreased from £0.8bn to £0.7bn.

Thank you. That’s a huge increase in fraud. Did covid coincide with the rates going up?

He's really not able too however he has no choice , they are both at school thankfully , I work 12 hour shifts in social care and then take over when I'm home & on my days off .
I'm not saying that it should be a bed of roses for people on benefits but it should also never be a choice of whether to heat your house or put food on the table as that is a reality for many people .

Where in my post did I state benefits were to pay for holidays or birthday presents ?????
I adjust my budget to my best abilities to cover these things so I don't expect benefits to cover this . The access I get is help towards my rent however the full amount isn't paid I still pay towards this from my wage .
I would never begrudge anybody that relies solely on benefits from buying birthday presents , Christmas presents or any kind of holiday if that's what they have chosen to spend their money on , after all MP's sit in parliament daily sleeping , having lunch paid for and have their expenses paid for all by the benefit system of the taxpayer but nobody bats an eyelid about this. People are more outraged about toothless Glenda and her 6 kids that live in a council house and rely on benefits .

These threads always upset me. It may be true that some people on disability benefit could do some form of work, the problem is, is that there are few jobs that will be accommodating.
If you’ve been long-term unemployed due to illness, try finding an entry level job that will be flexible and understanding of your health needs, or give you mental health support. I’ve tried and just been met with people that just don’t get it, I’ve been mocked and shouted at. I’m not confident and I have poor social skills. Feels like there’s no place in society for people like me.

Your previous post wasn’t saying you were having to decide whether to heat your home or put food on the table though - you were indicating you were having to tweak your outgoings to afford holidays and birthdays….

Thankfully I don't have to make that choice I do adjust my finances accordingly, but there is people out there who can't make that choice .

Make what choice? Whether to go on holiday or not?

A very important point. Many of those disabled people who would like to work and are more than capable (given reasonable adjustments) are barred from the labour market because too many employers discriminate, and it’s too expensive and stressful to hold them to account.

Haven't RTFT but one of my friend's neighbours jumped from her (high) flat window few months ago and died leaving a young baby behind because her energy and gas bills were so high and she had bailiffs banging on her door. I really sympathise and it must be scary but I can't imagine someone doing that to a child. I do understand about mental health though (not hers, just in general). The company should be ashamed of themselves. I would be embarrassed to work at one.

Not just holidays everything outwith paying bills and paying for daily living , including days out etc , holidays were perhaps the wrong example to use . When I say holiday I don't mean anywhere other than a weekend away in a caravan park .

Working people also do this.

Same here.
Life on benefits is shite, but seeing how others looks down on people like us is even harder.

But, kindly, employers want (and need to) make money, and we work for that money. They’re not benevolent organisations, they have to make a profit and will best achieve this by employing people who can get on with the job with the minimum of hand holding. We’re all adults and many NT, healthy, employed people struggle through the day at times but ultimately do what needs to be done. We’re all adults.

Who is looking down on you?

You’re mistaken. We’re looking up to you as the ones with lots of leisure time, time to spend raising your own children, all the latest devices, piles of presents under the tree, free or very low cost accommodation in one of the best cities in the world, other financial contributions and maybe a cheeky holiday here and there. People in low paid jobs, stable marriages, living in some godawful commuter town and un-entitled to help can only dream of such lifestyles 💐

This must be satire? I really hope it is satire.

Look on any sort of social media... MN included. Red tops even more. Anyone on benefits is swinging the lead. Anyone claiming sickness can just "WFH" or work in tech, even if they have only ever had a cleaning job when they did work.
Here on MN, I was told to use my meagre benefits to pay for private therapy so I could work again.

Are you being sarcastic @Weepachu or have I read it wrong (it is late).

To pp. There's definitely, usually someone looking down on benefit claimants on the various threads, and presumably the same thing must happen in real life.

I think it is satire.

It's hardly news that unwell people have died because our inefficient system. One that starts from the POV that the applicant is lying.

Terminally ill people die challenging negative outcomes of benefit "assessments". People with MH problems and life limiting conditions kill themselves undergoing a process designed to be impossible.

It's brutal. I've navigated it with my MIL who is disabled and it's barbaric, the way she has been treated still enrages me.