70% of people on incapacity benefit are expected to return to work.

[Shadeyman]

The one-and-a-half million people who claim incapacity benefit will start to receive letters this week asking them to be tested for their ability to work.
Watch the video on the link below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12954218


70% are expected to return to work so I guess the new tests will be tough and possibley a little unfair.

 

[sludgeguts]

The one-and-a-half million people who claim incapacity benefit will start to receive letters this week asking them to be tested for their ability to work.
Watch the video on the link below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12954218


70% are expected to return to work so I guess the new tests will be tough and possibley a little unfair.

Or maybe the testers will be looked at more closely? It may be that many don't care what goes on & simply tick boxes for the sake of it & now there is a bit of streamlining going on, government workers will have to prove they are doing their jobs in a capable, competent manner

 

[missey]

Grrr this makes me soooo MAD

I understand that there are the 'bad back' brigade, who are blagging it.
I also fully support that these people should be weeded out and stopped. They make a mockery out of the system and take from the actual needy and the tax payers.

However, this whole bash the disabled mentality that seems to be creeping in, thanks to our government, makes me furious.

Why and how would one person be qualified in all the different illnesses and disabilities that are going to be presented with.
If they were more qualified than the claimants GP or indeed Consultant, across the range of every illness, they wouldn't be working in assessment centres.

The government and daily papers lie and make out like its easy to catch the gravy train and easy to claim these benefits, its not! You can't just rock up and claim you are ill, the majority of these people will have letters from doctors & hospitals. Yes, check them more often, ask the doctors harder questions, but no-one should treat anyone like a thief until they have lived with that persons condition. Be that seen or unseen illness.

And what really worries me, is I have read that these assessments are going to be carried out via private firms who have a £14,000 incentive per person who they get off of benefits.

For the record I am not on benefits myself, so is not why it concerns me so much. But I can see that this government is bashing the ones who need the most help, including the severely disabled in residential care, who may eventually loose their DLA.

 

[missey]

O and just an additional thought...

Where is the industry for the single mothers, who's children have turned 4 and all these people who are going to be back in the job queue.

From an employers point of view, interviewing 3 people:

1) single mother, 2 children, one has just started school, holidays will be a problem as will childhood illnesses.
2) Young guy, no ties, no illness, no problems
3) Disabled, capable, but will have limitations and need adaptions to building.

No brainer really!

Not saying that its right, but its gonna happen. It's not about getting them in work, its about getting them less benefits.

 

[neeny09]

It took my mum 4 tries to get DLA on the old system and she was one of the ones who actually needs it, she can hardly get out of bed most mornings! and I think that yes get people of it who can work (you can still work up to 15 hours when you get DLA) If you can work then get off benefits!

It should be people who actually have "proper" illness not just "bad backs", my mum had letters from specialists saying she had fybromalgia and a crushed vertebrae amongst other things and they said no 3 times she had to go back to more doctors get more letters etc it shouldn't be so so hard for people who do need it!

I think the whole benefits system is a sham! I have 2 kids and I get income support and a friend of mine gets jobseekers allowance (he's a single man with his own house no dependants) I only get like £30 a week more with two kids £30 doesn't go far! :bang:

 

[neeny09]

O and just an additional thought...

Where is the industry for the single mothers, who's children have turned 4 and all these people who are going to be back in the job queue.

From an employers point of view, interviewing 3 people:

1) single mother, 2 children, one has just started school, holidays will be a problem as will childhood illnesses.
2) Young guy, no ties, no illness, no problems
3) Disabled, capable, but will have limitations and need adaptions to building.

No brainer really!

Not saying that its right, but its gonna happen. It's not about getting them in work, its about getting them less benefits.

It is a lot harder to get a job when you have kids and it's even hard to find an employer who is understanding about the difficulties of having kids and working!

I can't wait to get my driving licence so that I can go back to work I hate being a dole bird i would rather work for a living than get money for nothing but it's getting very hard to find any job let alone one that works around 2 kids

 

[missey]

It took my mum 4 tries to get DLA on the old system and she was one of the ones who actually needs it, she can hardly get out of bed most mornings! and I think that yes get people of it who can work (you can still work up to 15 hours when you get DLA) If you can work then get off benefits!

Do you mean incapacity? or DLA? Cos DLA isn't means tested, you can earn full time proper wage and its not effected.

And this is exactly why it makes me mad! (cases like yours and your mums)

My friend lost her leg, motorbike accident when she was 18. She had to take her DLA to appeal, as they said no. She walked into the room for the appeal and they said no again!! cos she walked into the room!!

She is full time wheelchair user at home, she finally won the second time round at appeal..but why should she go through that, its not like she is going to grow a new leg for gods sake!

And I too am a single parent with 2 kids, one of which is autistic...and it worries the life out of me what our future holds if I'm actually not coping as well as what I am now a couple of years down the track, it would be nice to know there is a safety net.
As you say, its not easy fitting everything round the kids.. not easy at all.

I left my job a couple of years back, cos my son and I got measles!! I actually had to go show my boss my spots!! He didn't sack me, but was such an arse I realised I couldn't actually work for the company any longer.

 

[neeny09]

Do you mean incapacity? or DLA? Cos DLA isn't means tested, you can earn full time proper wage and its not effected.

And this is exactly why it makes me mad! (cases like yours and your mums)

My friend lost her leg, motorbike accident when she was 18. She had to take her DLA to appeal, as they said no. She walked into the room for the appeal and they said no again!! cos she walked into the room!!

She is full time wheelchair user at home, she finally won the second time round at appeal..but why should she go through that, its not like she is going to grow a new leg for gods sake!

And I too am a single parent with 2 kids, one of which is autistic...and it worries the life out of me what our future holds if I'm actually not coping as well as what I am now a couple of years down the track, it would be nice to know there is a safety net.
As you say, its not easy fitting everything round the kids.. not easy at all.

I left my job a couple of years back, cos my son and I got measles!! I actually had to go show my boss my spots!! He didn't sack me, but was such an arse I realised I couldn't actually work for the company any longer.

There is that many different benefits it gives me a sore head!

Thats what they said to my mum because she could walk from the kitchen to the living room she was fine it didn't matter that it took her 20 mins to walk 6 feet

I had a great job with O2 the manager was brilliant cause he had been a single dad he just got it! like i asked if he would mind me coming in 15 mins late every day because of the bus times once i dropped my son of the child minder wasn't even an issue, had to give it up cause my son's dad stopped taking him every second Saturday, which was one of my shifts i was gutted i loved my wee job i just love working i'm a bit mental like that lol

I dunno how you must cope missey, i have 2 perfectly normal well behaved (most of the time) kids you must find it so hard your kids must love and appreciate you loads

 

[Ffoxy]

There are no safety nets for the non-injured / non-disabled member of society & personally I dont think government should have to plan for individuals circumstances. We are becoming dependent on the Nanny State. We simply HAVE to get the shirkers off benefits so the deserving cases can have what they need.

There are plans to dilute current workers rights, in terms of making it easier for companies to fire & hire... supposed to help with the economic recovery.... so a real terms erosion of rights.

I've worked all my life, not all luck but there were elements of luck, just decent planning really, it's the unexpected we need to personally plan for... I've had my injuries including one I thought would make me wheelchair bound, but I got through it as I was paid for the entire period by the Company I worked for. It's the rainy "what if" days that are our responsibility, not the State's.

 

[missey]

i just love working i'm a bit mental like that lol

I dunno how you must cope missey, i have 2 perfectly normal well behaved (most of the time) kids you must find it so hard your kids must love and appreciate you loads

Not mental...just have pride, which is a good thing

And my kids don't love me anymore than yours do you We are just mums, who are there to be taken for granted

There are no safety nets for the non-injured / non-disabled member of society & personally I dont think government should have to plan for individuals circumstances. We are becoming dependent on the Nanny State. We simply HAVE to get the shirkers off benefits so the deserving cases can have what they need.

There are plans to dilute current workers rights, in terms of making it easier for companies to fire & hire... supposed to help with the economic recovery.... so a real terms erosion of rights.

I've worked all my life, not all luck but there were elements of luck, just decent planning really, it's the unexpected we need to personally plan for... I've had my injuries including one I thought would make me wheelchair bound, but I got through it as I was paid for the entire period by the Company I worked for. It's the rainy "what if" days that are our responsibility, not the State's.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying...but the bit in bold...what the hell is jobseekers then? If that is not a safety net for the able bodied.

And if you had ended up in a wheelchair...and in turn, your company eventually gave up on you...do not tell me you wouldn't have needed extra help from the state, cos I will not believe you if you say otherwise.

Some people in life are luckier than others, no-one wants to be housebound, no-one wants to have missing limbs. I for one don't care if every penny of tax that I pay for the rest of my life goes to someone with MS or has a child who will never walk, talk, get married or live a normal independent life.
That money will save more in the long run, by the parents caring for that child without paying for full time respite care, or helping the ms sufferer to keep independence.

I do however begrudge paying for MP's to have John Lewis charge cards, so they don't even pay for their own shopping out of their overblown salaries. While they twist the thumbscrews on people who are already surviving on an average of £70-90pw

 

[Focus Owner]

curiouse.
these 70% of people whare are they going to work?
go to the manufacturing industry?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10341119
nope
go for civil service?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...eel-axe-as-osborne-cuts-pound6bn-1981108.html
nope
air force?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/army-and-navy-reveal-job-loss-plan-2261647.html

so these 70% of people on incapacity benifit who are apprently faking it.
will end up just on standard benifits.
70% as well i would have thought at least 70% would be genuine.

so to catch these faking it we have cut funding to the department who can find them. i wonder if they will just set a computer to random.

 

[Ffoxy]

Not mental...just have pride, which is a good thing

And my kids don't love me anymore than yours do you We are just mums, who are there to be taken for granted



I agree with a lot of what you are saying...but the bit in bold...what the hell is jobseekers then? If that is not a safety net for the able bodied.

And if you had ended up in a wheelchair...and in turn, your company eventually gave up on you...do not tell me you wouldn't have needed extra help from the state, cos I will not believe you if you say otherwise.

Some people in life are luckier than others, no-one wants to be housebound, no-one wants to have missing limbs. I for one don't care if every penny of tax that I pay for the rest of my life goes to someone with MS or has a child who will never walk, talk, get married or live a normal independent life.
That money will save more in the long run, by the parents caring for that child without paying for full time respite care, or helping the ms sufferer to keep independence.

I do however begrudge paying for MP's to have John Lewis charge cards, so they don't even pay for their own shopping out of their overblown salaries. While they twist the thumbscrews on people who are already surviving on an average of £70-90pw

I think you missed this bit of my Post Missey...
We simply HAVE to get the shirkers off benefits so the deserving cases can have what they need.

I agree with the bit about MP's of course... but there are definitely shirking free-loaders out there that need to be weeded out...

Not all out there are like you who have self pride driving them on in life... some take the route of least resistance, and if these measures proposed by the government weed those out of the system, we will all benefit from the savings made.

 

[Modette]

Whilst Im with the single mums here, I raised three boys alone, I also know of many cases where people have been on incapacity benefit and didnt need to be. I knew one girl who went to the doctor claiming she was depressed, then got income support and incapacity benefit, bought a new VW Polo on finance and got an owner driver delivery job that was cash in hand. The point being that even if she was depressed it wasnt 'incapacitating' enough to stop her working.

There is also a big difference between DLA and incapacity benefit, the latter being much easier to claim and generally awarded for shorter term ailments. The problem is that because it has never been monitored enough someone can claim it for a bout of depression or a period of recovery after an illness and that 'period' turns into YEARS because it wasnt reviewed closely enough or at all.

As far as I can see, thats all thats going on here, everyone is being reviewed and I am certain that they will find MANY who dont need to be getting it anymore. I hate a lot of things that this government are doing but this, along with capping housing benefits is needed to stop people from exploiting the system.

 

[Ffoxy]

:yeahthat:

There will soon be loads of jobs about but for what reward? These jobs will come if companies get the rights to unload any employee they wish far more easily than is currently possible... dont miss this one folks... it sneaked out on Saturday lunchtime I think....

Menial jobs are currently taken by EU immigrants as many UK folks wont go near them because they have to get out of bed before 8.00 every weekday & do work that they feel is below them... Honestly I'll do anything if it comes to it... work is work, I feel I contribute more than I cost both Company & Country, & my parents instilled that pride in myself.

It really would be a benefit to all if Working from Home meant just that< and was recognised as a valid contribution for single Moms (only those who are single through no fault of their own though!) excluding the Moms who chose such a role as a way to get a free home....

I digress... and I anticipate the storm of "what about the children..."... Kids are parents (plural) responsibility, if a dog is for life, so are children IMO!

 

[Eklipze3k]

I digress... and I anticipate the storm of "what about the children..."... Kids are parents (plural) responsibility, if a dog is for life, so are children IMO!

This is the thing I wanted to bring up - if you struggle to look after your kids then you shouldn't have had them. But again, it's a digression from the original topic ...

 

[Ffoxy]

This is the thing I wanted to bring up - if you struggle to look after your kids then you shouldn't have had them. But again, it's a digression from the original topic ...

I agree totally Mr Eklipze3k, thats why we chose to have how many we had, 10 would have been great (Mrs Ffoxy may feel differently lol) but we simply couldnt have afforded it. But look at how many some of the jobless have just because the kids provided an income...

 

[missey]

I think you read me wrong too ffoxy. I'm not on the other side of the fence to either you or fiona and obviously see neeny09's situation very clearly. However, these plans seem half baked and too generalised, I hate to think it, but I'm sure they will be sweeping over some that are actually genuine.

As fiona does, I also know of a girl...if you can call it that. Who had 5 children, 4 of which were taken into care and eventually adopted. Apparently she was agoraphobic. I'm not sure how she managed to spend most days outiside the local cafe or in the park with her other croney's...what a trooper
Her 'half got' husband, father of the 5th kid, had to 'care' for her and the child. Probably cooking for the fat cow all day was a full time job, I must admit.

So yeah they were scamming it, so was the guy next door to them, who had a bad back, but liked putting up fences for people in his spare time.

I'm not saying there isn't fakers and they really do HAVE to be sorted out, but there are genuine people too, I just hope they are not trodden into the ground. And with a 14k bonus at stake for these private companies...hmmm well don't take much to figure.

And as for the 'housing benefit review' lol What a joke.
In my area, which is not a poor area by any means...surrey green belt. The cap for housing benefit for a 3 bed house was, before these reviews £920pcm ...now after the cuts, it is £350pw
Someone, somewhere can't count very well.

 

[missey]

I agree totally Mr Eklipze3k, thats why we chose to have how many we had, 10 would have been great (Mrs Ffoxy may feel differently lol) but we simply couldnt have afforded it. But look at how many some of the jobless have just because the kids provided an income...

And unfortunately it will get worse. I had 2, I could afford 2 I would have had more, but wanted to work and do something with my life.

Those on benefits, now a single mother has to return to work when the child is of school age, you think she will?
Or you think she will bang another one out, keep her benefit coming in for another 4 years.

Because the ones they are trying to stop, don't care how many they produce!

 

[Ffoxy]

:hug: to you Missey... just discussing like we might over a Pimms

As for the housing cap... look at it this way, its a nice area... why would all those nice high-end earners want benefit receivers in their neighbourhood?

£350 pcm will move them into the slums the last government tried to convince us they wanted removed.

Personally I object to people being given hand-outs for any housing other than the most basic, that should provide them with the impetus to do better for themselves if they are able bodied.

Again, the genuine cases should be looked after... but not in luxury... No sir... (or Ma'm)

 

[custard]

This is the thing I wanted to bring up - if you struggle to look after your kids then you shouldn't have had them. But again, it's a digression from the original topic ...

and does nothing in anyones life change?
since we had my boy,both mine and her jobs/wages/hours have changed
not really that simple is it?