After writing the previous entry I sent an email to the Centre for Social Justice. I complained about them using false statements about DLA to further their own ideological interests (copying the email to my MP).
A researcher has replied to me today. Here are some extracts from their email:
"The piece you refer to was written by an MP who took part in our Inner City Challenge. This aims to give MPs first hand experience of working with people in our most disadvantaged communities, and should help to reduce misconceptions about people, and the challenges that they face. Ultimately, by encouraging MPs to visit grass roots charities and come face to face with the challenges faced by their most disadvantaged constituents, we hope to better inform public policy."
Got it. Reducing misconceptions. Better informing public policy. Really?
No.
"Our researchers are aware that entitlement to DLA is not affected by a person’s work status, but also recognise that employment rates among DLA recipients are very low. While the quote risks misleading readers about the relationship between DLA entitlement and work, it is an accurate reflection of what the MP saw during his inner city challenge. The point being made is that there are some people who remain on benefits without any intention of working, and this is what needs to change."
They hope this addresses my concerns. Short of writing "DLA is not an out-of-work benefit and does not belong in a discussion about worklessness - so could you possibly stop lying?" in 72pt-type, I'm not sure how anyone is going to get this message through to people who think demonising DLA claimants is an acceptable way to address welfare dependency. All I know is that we must all keep trying.
Campaigning against the government's distressing war on disabled benefit claimants. All posts represent the opinions of their respective authors and not WtB as a whole.
Told you so. . .
ReplyDeleteThis has been the plan since May. To lie their back teeth off and get Think Tanks aligned with government to confirm the lie, so they can get a mandate from the public to get rid of DLA
Just... rage. Even if all DLA recipients did work (and okay, not all of us do because not all of us can), that would still not mean we weren't entitled to DLA for excess care and mobility needs. They're deliberately not pointing that out to people, and it makes me so furious.
ReplyDeleteI am scared stiff about the govt and their new plans - They cannot SEE my condition - MS is no visible in alot of people - They ASSUME that if I smile, if I don't LOOK sick - Then I am not - They have no idea how much effort it took to smile and they have no idea the fight we went through to get DLA in the first place. they need to go after Tax evaders and people who work and claim - Yet again they take easy targets and blame us for all ills. I am scared as if I lose my DLA - I don't know how i will work, because I already spend all day tired out and forgetting things yet I will be sent out there and have to fend for myself somehow and I will be even MORE sick because of it - Scared - I am petrified!
ReplyDelete"The point being made is that there are some people who remain on benefits without any intention of working, and this is what needs to change."
ReplyDelete...because damn those scrounging quadraplegics...
The good news is that after further emails with the CSJ I spoke to them on the phone and they agreed to revisit the copy on that page. No promises anything will change but it's a start.
ReplyDeleteNO promises that anything will change?
ReplyDeleteThey don't need promises - it's a certainty. It's who's doing the changing and how that remains hidden!
If it wasn't for DLA I wouldn't be able to afford to run the car that gets me to work!
ReplyDeleteSome of you people need to have better memories, it was new Labour that put in the welfare reforms, it was new Labour and Brown that decided DLA was a waste of money and should be better directed at paying £600,000 for carers and 10 billion to pay off the national deficit.
ReplyDeleteBrown responded to an email I sent saying DLA was a miss directed benefit.
Over the past ten years I've been on TV on radio talking about the closure of Remploy factories, then finding work as a disabled person.
But each time I've come up against MP's from New Labour one even saying he had met hundreds of disabled people who were obviously fine to work, and he had no idea why the GP had given them IB, I spent ten minutes explaining how we get IB and DLA and he said thats rubbish.
fact is Tory and Labour are now facing some of the worse debt in living history, it has to repay that debt, and it's the disabled and the poorest in society who will foot this bill.
I'm Paraplegic.
Also do not forget who gave us DLA Maggie bloody Thatcher, it was Brown that tried to take it away but 18 Labour MP's refused to back him, but a hell of a lot more that said they would back him, but the Tories stepped in said they back the 18 Labour MP's.
Good life.