To ask you to all sign this petition asking the government to investigate 9,580 benefits-related deaths?

[BowieFan]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/170364

The excellent Jack Monroe has started a campaign on twitter and has been collating stories of awful experiences with the DWP, Atos, Capita and Maximus. Some of the stories are heartbreaking.

Please, please sign this petition - at the very least, the families of people who died because of the DWP deserve some closure.

Take David Clapson - former soldier who died of hunger and insulin-related shock. He had been sanctioned for being late for an appointment, and couldn't afford to pay for electricity for his fridge to keep his insulin cold. The coroner said his stomach had had no food in it for upwards of three days. Nobody should be dying like that in 2016.

I recommend you check out Jack's twitter (@MxJackMonroe) and read some of the stories using the #HungerHurts hashtag. It's heartbreaking, but we need to confront this.

[PlayOnWurtz]

As for a gp decision overriding anything to do with benefits, which should be assessed impartially. I don't agree with that at all.

[PausingFlatly]

PIP is an in-work benefit, as you must well know.

So I should blooming hope there are people on PIP who are very happy to be working - it's intended to enable them to do so. (And the removal of some of the mobility support is making it harder for many to do so and leaving them gutted about this.)

[JellyBelli]

Thank you for posting that link.

[PlayOnWurtz]

Yes I am well aware of it being an in work benefit as I work myself. However I would hazard a guess that many of these people who are dying hungry may not be working and may have ESA claims going through too.

[Dawndonnaagain]

I won't sign because there are a proportion of people on dla and Pip who can work to some extent and don't like being told they have to
Can you provide evidence of this. The dwp's own figures put fraud at less than 1%.
I won't sign because there is help out there if people want it - of all people who can get help a soldier can there are countless charities for military personnel who have hit hard times on leaving the forces. But you can't help a proud person However, if you're diabetic, you may not be able to function normally and think clearly at times, thereby missing out on help available. If you have a learning difficulty you may be unaware of help or how to access it. It isn't only proud people that go without. I'm sorry you had a hard time, so did I. I shall still sign.

Why do you disagree with the GP decisions?

[LunaLoveg00d]

No sorry. I don't like Jack Monroe and I don't like this 'campaign' that she's started.

This with bells on. Jack Monroe isn't exactly politically neutral and this is more about political point scoring against the government than it is about anything else. As well as raising Jack Monroe's public profile. Is there a new "frugal food" book coming out for Christmas do you think?

[JellyBelli]

PlayOnWurtz So for you its a case of 'I'm all right Jack'.
do please point us towards all these jobs that are fixed hours contracts not as and when required so we can apply for them. You know, the ones we can wlak into at a moments notice.

[rainyinnovember]

There's a few outspoken folks at the moment on Twitter with an agenda.

[PausingFlatly]

The "Fit For Work" assessments are about ESA - a different benefit from DLA/PIP.

ESA is intended to be income-replacement for people unable to work - hence Fit for Work tests. The Monroe petition is asking for investigation into people who were found Fit for Work but died shortly afterwards.

Obviously the first thing that would be needed is proper stats from the DWP as to how many people that actually is. Given the 2380 figure includes people whose claim stopped because of death.

[PlayOnWurtz]

There are support agencies out there to help with applications. I can't post too much for fear of outing myself but trust me there are and they need people to use them to keep their funding.

If you have a learning disability chances are you may already have support workers in place who can help or point you toward people who can help.

I don't agree with the gp as some, in my experience anyway, will simply ask you what you want written on the form/sick note rather than using their professional opinion of the matter. Others will not listen to you that it's a problem so disregard it and not support you. Yes their evidence needs to be considered but shouldn't have the overarching decision.

I agree a better way of working is needed though.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

As for a gp decision overriding anything to do with benefits, which should be assessed impartially. I don't agree with that at all.

Surely a GP is far more aware of a patients needs than an "independent assessor" who has met them for half and hour?

Will be interesting to see how and if the Scottish Government handles disability benefits differently.

[PlayOnWurtz]

No its not at all jelly it's about me not agreeing with Ms stampy foot Monroe's way of working

[OutOfBlueComesGreen]

Signed. Jack is lovely. She's a friend as well. Ignore the fucking media.

[JellyBelli]

This is the petition, it is about the deaths of people refused ESA;

''The DWPs 'Fit For Work' tests are not fit for purpose, and are routinely abused to cause stress and harm to vulnerable people.
From Dec 2011 to Feb 2014, 2,380 people died shortly after being declared 'fit for work' and having their benefits stopped. I call on the House to hear their stories.

More details
In the same period, 9,200 people in receipt of ESA were found 'fit to work in future' and died shortly afterwards. These statistics are from a Freedom Of Information request to the DWP.
I call on the House to hear their stories, and to abolish this test. To allow GPs opinions to override that of a 'decision maker' with no medical qualifications. And to investigate how 2,380 people were declared fit enough to work and financially penalised, when they were not fit enough to live, let alone work.''

[PAusingFlatly]

I'd like to know more about the 9,200 figure though.

From the wording of the petition:
In the same period, 9,200 people in receipt of ESA were found 'fit to work in future' and died shortly afterwards. These statistics are from a Freedom Of Information request to the DWP.

It's not covered by the FullFact article - can't be part of the "claim ended because of death" group, because the claim hasn't ended.

[gillybeanz]

Some disgusting comments already on this thread, there are some horrible people who think people shouldn't have benefits because they themselves work. Like only those who don't work, get benefits.

Signed and will share.

[PlayOnWurtz]

Fit for work in future

As in. Condition is fluctuating or temporary but is currently unable to work but eligible for support, yes?

[Dawndonnaagain]

Play Generally the GP knows their patient best. I agree that's not always the case, however, supported by a consultant would be good. And stupid assessors who have little or no experience are best kept away from folk.

As for the fact that there are agencies out there desperate to help, I agree, but there are people who for many reasons, including mild learning difficulties, and through no fault of their own, are not able to access these agencies. Certainly in the villages round here getting to a Citizens Advice would be expensive and difficult if you didn't live in or near the particular town in which it operates. I do think you're being unfair.
You haven't provided any evidence of people on ESA being able to work, do you have figures for that?

[PlayOnWurtz]

As a side issue and out of curiosity how many of those deaths were attributable to the condition, how many were accidental and how many were through natural causes? So in essence. What is the true figure?

[Soubriquet]

I'll sign

Whether I like Jack or not is irrelevant

I don't care if she has an agenda with this petition. If it highlights the severe poverty some people are in, it can only be good

[FlyingElbows]

No, I won't sign up to anything which has been appropriated for the purposes of self promotion. She's just another Jamie Oliver.

[JellyBelli]

Great. Good for you and your principles.
This is why those of us who fall through the net, fall through the net. The majority of you vote for £15 billion in benefit cuts and agree with them.
And the holes in the net just keep getting bigger.

[PausingFlatly]

That's great to hear there are still agencies to help people make applications where you are, Wurtz. The one local to me has closed down for lack of funding during the time I've been claiming.

But they can still only help make the claim, not change the items the govt has chosen to assess, or the behaviour of the decision-makers.

I'm old enough to have seen the removal of a number of key assessment items from the "medicals", eg some of the Qs about being able to climb stairs. So that some incapacities magically disappear from the assessment.

And similar playing around with physical vs mental incapacities. Don't have the details to hand, but one of the recent changes was along the lines of any given incapacity could ONLY score on physical OR mental impact. Something like, if a person with M.E. has muscle weakness AND confusion when tired, that only counts as muscle weakness. If a person with severe pain can reduce the pain for a short time - but only with painkillers that make them foggy, confused and unsafe to drive or cook - that only counts as pain and is considered to have no impact as the painkiller "treats" it.

That's off the top of my head - others may be able to describe those amendments more accurately.

[gillybeanz]

I've never heard of Jack Monroe tbh, and have no idea of any particular politics she may have. I only know she's a she from pp.

Anything that highlights the plight of people who are struggling is worth it imo.
It says a lot about those who won't sign because they don't like her, have their own ill informed opinions, and those jealous of their neighbours who have benefits. WTF.

[PausingFlatly]

Fit for work in future

As in. Condition is fluctuating or temporary but is currently unable to work but eligible for support, yes?

No.

You'd think so, from the name Work Related Activity Group, but no.

This group contains people who are found not Fit for Work, but whose point score is only moderately below the FFW threshold.

Unless things have changed recently, no account is taken of direction of travel. So this group contains people with stable conditions, and people with deteriorating conditions, as well as people whose conditions have the possibility of improving.

I would be delighted to hear that I'm out of date about this, and that this ridiculous situation no longer pertains.