tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post8370339377202259569..comments2023-07-04T16:57:28.929+01:00Comments on Where's the Benefit?: DWP Uses BBC as Puppet Yet AgainLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16714918894319998184noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-60087567714027310722011-10-27T18:54:35.143+01:002011-10-27T18:54:35.143+01:00What I don't get is DWP made me homeless last ...What I don't get is DWP made me homeless last year because they messed up my payments. I made complaint. I then had an arrangement that with the new job center I was attending I had to do is hand in my sick note. but the last have involved a lot of stress and it has taken this time three days of attending and I still have no knowledge of if i will get any money next week, It hard to manage money I sometimes dont have light or heat. cause the money is hard with food prices rising so delays on payments cause issue because my electric might go or made no food and being told to wait three days on a phone no one want to answers is a problem and makes me ill. When you ask staff for they unhelpful and quite Frankly most time ignorante and don't give a damm. tell you wait on the phone when you get through oh well call you back they don't most times if you miss the call you have walk there again. How can be allowed to happen and why? Mental health claimant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-85229835222203004622011-08-01T15:13:28.807+01:002011-08-01T15:13:28.807+01:00I was dismayed by the way these figures were repor...I was dismayed by the way these figures were reported on the BBC (Today programme) with the clear implication that 75% of ESA claimants are malingering spongers. <br /><br />My 22 year-old son was granted ESA at the level of "fit for work-related activities". He has a congenital learning disability and all of his education has been in special school/colleges. At the Job Centre, I asked the advisor to explain what constitutes "unfit for work". She told me (several times) that "unfit for work" is only for people who are terminally ill.<br /><br />It has so far proved difficult to find my son any voluntary work or work experience, let alone paid work. I'm grateful for the benefit he gets, but concerned that the prevailing attitude may mean that it is reduced or withdrawn, when he has no realistic chance of earning a living.<br /><br />By the way, if I had not been available to complete the 30-page application document, there is no way my son could have proceeded with his claim.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-3107581374559160872011-07-28T02:22:25.645+01:002011-07-28T02:22:25.645+01:00Jan: you can indeed complain about a BBC web page,...Jan: you can indeed complain about a BBC web page, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/ Their usual response is to claim they showed both sides and therefore the article is balanced, no matter that one interpretation may be overwhelmingly favoured.<br /><br />TiddK: good catch, and the article should be corrected by the time you see this.DavidGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11734028655032503805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-42154078317416005562011-07-27T19:00:01.469+01:002011-07-27T19:00:01.469+01:00I agree with the main thrust of the article above....I agree with the main thrust of the article above. It's shameful the way the BBC is always ready to show David Cameron spouting on and on about "people being abandoned for years on benefits, and now we're doing something about it" [knocking them off benefits with no alternatives in place...] - yet are unable to do the 'balanced reporting' thing that's in their Charter, and show the other point of view .. that the tests are flawed and failing.<br /><br />Sorry to carp about your maths by the way, but fresh from watching Marcus de Sautoy (LOL) I can report that 39% and 71% add up to 110%. 61%, I think?TiddKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06194335182530169873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-61367860969833509612011-07-27T11:28:41.687+01:002011-07-27T11:28:41.687+01:00Ok, maybe my last comment was modded, fair enough ...Ok, maybe my last comment was modded, fair enough :D Is there any way of complaining about this? Standard BBC website complaints form? And no-one say it won't do any good, it'll be catharsis for me right now.Jannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-5168790806547332452011-07-26T22:12:38.735+01:002011-07-26T22:12:38.735+01:00How do we give them a kicking over this?How do we give them a kicking over this?Jannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-33889879186052556072011-07-26T22:08:28.048+01:002011-07-26T22:08:28.048+01:00Ah, thanks for explaining the maths. I think I got...Ah, thanks for explaining the maths. I think I got lost on the way, my apologies.Flash Bristowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03654864643726468916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-14098300106418562212011-07-26T19:51:43.295+01:002011-07-26T19:51:43.295+01:00Flash, when I said "43% of people assessed ar...Flash, when I said "43% of people assessed are unfit for work" in reference to my earlier piece (linked at 'my analysis') I very specifically meant people who had completed the entire assessment and appeals process and had been placed in WRAG or the Support Group, and had recomputed the percentages to exclude people who did not complete the assessment process. And I linked the earlier article to Mary's 'Abandoned Claims' article about why that might be - in fact my own experiences show that a considerable number of people are likely to be intimidated out of the process.<br /><br />It's very interesting that DWP (not ATOS) chose today to spin their latest statistics. They were due, but the last set appeared on a Wednesday and we have to conclude that they were released today specifically to distract from the Work and Pensions Committee report, which is extremely critical of the way the DWP have been spinning stories in the press. And yet that's precisely how they set about undermining the Committee's report....DavidGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11734028655032503805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7999633524276247455.post-23064742657902755602011-07-26T18:21:36.042+01:002011-07-26T18:21:36.042+01:00I hate to contradict you, but the opposite of &quo...I hate to contradict you, but the opposite of "assessed as fit for work" is not "assessed as not fit for work" but also includes "not assessed at all". 36% of claims were withdrawn, which might mean that those 36% had a short-term condition which got better. Or it might mean that those 36% were so terrified at the idea of the Atos test that they decided not to claim. You decide. I only know of people in the second category.<br /><br />But, as I said in my earlier post today, I agree that the 7% unfit to work figure is looking at it pessimistically. In fact of all the people they assessed *to completion*, 11% were assessed as not fit to do any kind of work at all, and 27% were only fit to do any work with appropriate support. So, 38% were awarded ESA at some level.<br /><br />I guess you can do anything with statistics... and Atos usually does!Flash Bristowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03654864643726468916noreply@blogger.com