General Chat

you may think harshly of this but all workshy spongers who fiddle the state should be put against a wall and shot ........................parasites

I do know the other side of the equation. My hubbie was made redundant three times in his work life, the third time he was in his early fifties and couldn't even get an interview, if he admitted his age. He had ten years of only the odd short term contract, then three years at a school assisting the caretaker, before retiring at 65 last year. He hated his last job but persevered rather than go onto benefits. We never got income support all those years because I was working. It IS hard to get a job if disadvantaged by either age or ill health, but all you can do is keep trying (and lower sights, if necessary). I can recommend working, not just for the money, I would still be there now, if my back would allow me to sit for hours at a desk! Over and out.........Dilys

God what a can of worms!!! The thing that worries me with forcing people back into the workplace when we are not actually fit is that the sickness / absence figures will go through the roof. What can I say, I was in a car accident 2 years ago, apart from the usual soreness and some persistant aching eased by ibuprofen, I was ok for about 3 months. After returning from my honeymoon at the end of May 2003, I returned to work as usual. A couple of weeks later I had a terrible nights sleep with pain in my neck and come morning my neck had gone into spasm and I was in agony with excrutiating pain. I was rushed to the doctor who saw me immediately and was prescribed major prescription pain killers (morphine) and anti inflamatories followed by a series of tests, x-rays, scans, including an MRI scan. The scan showed that I have a condition called errosion of the vertebrate, the bones in my neck have worn away, the discs have prolapsed and the nerves and blood vessels are being trapped between them causing constant pain and dizziness which can occurr at anytime. The dizziness can cause me to almost faint and can last for a few seconds or a few minutes. The pain although eased by permanant use of pain killers (morphine) and anti inflamatories never goes away it covers my neck, shoulders, chest, back, arms and some days even causes me to have problems walking. I applied for disability allowance but because the origin of my disability is in my neck I am not entitled to full allowance... you need to have a problem with your legs for that I was told. I receive the grand total of £60 every 4 weeks. After being off work initially for 7 months on SSP, our financial situation was critical and so, armed with pain killers, collar, wheat pack (heat pack) and tens machine I went back to work. I really enjoyed my job but the pain and dizziness has just become too unbearable (let alone dangerous in the work place) and I am off sick again with instructions from my doctor not to drive. I have now been off sick (on SSP again) a second time for 6 months. I have spoken with my employers to try to get me back into the work place on a part time contract but they will only take me back for a "settling in" period part time then want me back full time which doesn't help as they have now changed te working day from 8 hours a day for 5 days to 10 hours a day for 4 days. So now I am trying to find a part time job but am coming up against the obsticle of being off sick at the moment. I have an interview on 8th Feb next week so fingers crossed. Sorry for going on so much but I wish I could get back to work and get my life together. I am only 43 but still feel 17 in my head (like the advert). I hate being in so much pain and apart from this thread, only the people closest to me know what is wrong. I have seen a nuerosurgeon and am waiting for an operation to correct all this but even that is risky and there is a 1% chance I could be paralysed because of operating on the spine. The only "up" to it all is that I have to lose 4½ stone to have the operation and the doctor is putting me on slimming tablets to make sure I lose it.... a new slim me... <wolf whistles>. Anyway, I really could do with a decent benefit to help us through this difficult time but I am not entitled to any more than my £60 every 4 weeks. Well, I have had my say, so I'll go now Gaynor

granny longlegs i can see what you were getting at ,and i fully understand. i too disagree with the people who claim,who are quite capable of working. i had a year off work,due to depression but i didnt claim anything.i got full pay from my work,which was great. without this support i would also had to have claimed,as hubbys wages wouldnt have been enough to pay the monthly out goings. i still get severe panic attacks and palpitations but medication helps,lol. i love my job and intend to carry on working.deep down though i would love to stay at home,but hubbys wages wont allow it lol love susie

A close relative has Downs Syndrome with a mental age of maybe five and gets Disability Living Allowance, totally jusified, as are many others. However, there are too many benefits from an administrative point of view: why have Invalidity Benefit; Disability Living Allowance; Income Support; Housing Benefit; Mobility Allowance; ad infinitum, each with their own criteria and army of officials, some contribution related, some not; some taxable, some not. Anathema as it may be to Tony, Gordon and their mates, a clean sweep simplification would reduce the chance of fraudulent claims and decimate the cost of running the scheme.

altough i understeand what mr blair is trying to do but what about people like my mother who have a mental illness does that mean she will have to go to work for her money she would never cope in the "real" world she has been in a mental hospital for over 30 years now lov bumpy

I know of a couple who both claim sickness benefit and have never worked,,and there's nothing wrong with them,!1 I pay huge amounts of tax to keep leeches like this in their comfortabel existance,

Dilys don't put your soap box away, you have only voiced what a lot of us feel, the genuine ones are the ones being left out of the system, for the work shy skivers, it is up lifting to see so many posertive people out there who have genuine problems getting on with it, the best they can, at the end of the day they may have less money, but they are richer in knowing that they have their dignaty. Good luck to all of you who are strong enough to cope with what life throw at you. Bev

Some of your stories have made me feel very humble, perhaps I should put my soap box away! Dilys

This really makes my blood boil! I know that there are genuine cases who are entitled to the help they recieve but those who deliberately abuse the system really wind me up! A woman that I knew vaguely was claiming a fortune as she was "agrophobic"! Not only did she claim invalidity, she also claimed carers allowance and mobility allowance! She had her rent paid for and council tax! This woman was also working full time and was bragging about how she conned the system! She isnt bragging anymore....and I will let you draw your own conclusions!!! Bev

I was diagnosed with Arthritis through out my body, as any sufferer will know we have good days and bad days, I do work ( off at the moment recovering from surgery) full time, I only asked for help with the car as I would other wise have to get 2 buses to work, and any one who knows the south west knows that is a night mare and expensive, I was turned down, I have managed to get an ex-disability car, but it leaves me short each month, but I can hold my head up and say I support my family my self, I have always worked and for me if I was not able to work and get out, I would go stir crazy. I feel for the genuine ones who have it so bad because of the few skivers. Bev

We had 7 yrs living in Kenya, during which time my husband paid a regular voluntary NI contribution. After that time we returned and were not able to claim unemployment benefit, my husband was even told if he wasn't British he would have got it. We had 3 children and were not even able to get fanily allowance until one of us started work, so I went to an Office service bureau, and got temp jobs, so that we could at least claim some family allowance. Took hubby 3 months of trying until he eventually found work, and when he did he was offered 2 jobs, so got a choice. It's annoying to see the undeserved get benefits so easily, whilst those who REALLY need help seem to be fighting an uphill battle to get what they should be entitled to. Val

Prime example is that guy in Eastenders. I know it's fiction but there are probably a lot of them about. For many years I've had problems with my spine and as I'm getting older it's becoming progressivly worse. A few years ago I lived in Belgium for four years and as a result I did'nt pay my NI stamp. (I know silly me) When I got back I tried to get work. In the application forms they give you there is a section on health, and I would put, 'occasional back problem'. Guess what? No one wanted to know. I then applied for Incapacity Benefit, even went to be examined by one of their own doctors who agrred I did have a problem and would find it difficult working in a shop and having to stand for hours. They would'nt pay me beacuse they said I had'nt paid any stamps in the last two years and therefore was not entitled to any money. I started work at fifteen, stopped for five years to have my children and carried on until 1997.

my brother has grand mall epilepsy. he worked for 6 years with the condition but then the specialist told him he could no longer work. he was distraught.he would love to work but is medically unable to.he is 36 years old!! he isnt work shy at all ,just unable to work. there is also my son,he is 28 years old. he has worked since he left school,but has just been diagnosed with narcolepsy! again,the dr has signed him off for safety reasons. he is awaiting an appointment to see the neurosurgeon,which hopefully will prescribe medication. my son wants nothing more than to go back to work . so not everyone who is able to get out and about is fit for work. susie

My husband is on invalidity benefit - the grand sum of about £70 a week! As some of you know he was knocked of his motor bike by a car in May 1995 and has been unable to work since, although he would like to. He has a disabled badge, and like Lou, was turned down for DLA as he is 'not disabled enough'. He uses 2 crutches to walk and is in constant pain, taking a mixture of tablets just to get through the day. He is able to drive an automatic car, and walk for a short distance on flat ground. He is unable to sit or stand in one place for longer than about 30 minutes at a time. He also needs to catnap during the day as he usually can only sleep for an hour or so at a time during the night because the pain is so bad. He also needs regular hospital appointments as he also has leukaemia in it's early stages and is diabetic (probably both caused by the stress of the past 10 years). What employer would want a worker like that.? On the plus side, he has been able to see our grandchildren grow and develop - when our children were growing up he worked from early morning until late at night to keep the wolves from the door! Our eldest son says he is a 'Professional Grandad' when asked what his father does! LOL I also have a friend with MS. She is in remission at the moment, but gets DLA as she cannot feel the difference between hot and cold and could easily scald herself or her young son. She was told to claim and it was granted to her. It seems to me that it just depends who assesses you on the day, as I know of another girl with MS who doesn't qualify. Sue xx

I have asthma (defined as a disability under The Disability Act bt the Occupational Health doctor) - Worked through that with the help of my husband dropping me off and picking me up from work each day - apart from mega attacks/hospitalisation. I have recurring back/sciatic problems - worked through those too. I've even laid in the disabled loo to stretch and unlock my spine/leg enough to be able to sit at a desk for a while longer. I have had ulcers on my finger ends caused by Reynauds disease - worked though that too - coping with jokes about snooker referees when wearing gloves over dressings.! lol So on and so on.... Then depression hit! - NO I couldn't work with that - It was all I could do to wash and dress - and I often didn't for days. I received Incapacity benefit after SSP ran out and onto long term ICB. I suppose I could have claimed for DLA as offered - since both my asthma and the depression were deemed to be that incapacitating - but I didn't. I wasn't ready to go back to work - the idea terrified me - I would not have been able to cope. My third time of seeing a DSS doctor for review - I was lucky enough to be having one of very few 'really good days'. I have never been one to 'lay it on thick' (as I have been advised by some less scrupulous people to do) and consequently was regarded as being fit for work and benefit was stopped. They offered me help under the Disability Back to Work Scheme - but quite honestly I was still not ready for work. I have not worked or claimed benefit since and it is only in the last few months that I have considered myself fit for work after an illness of 3 years. Yes it does make me mad to see people claiming benefit that shouldn't be entitled to it and the ruling of 'Fit for ANY work' does not seem to be being applied in some cases. I do wonder though if this is yet another ploy to massage figures. They MAY make in roads into the massive burden of Incapacity Benefit/Long Term ICB/Invalidity Benefit - but will they show the no doubt subsequent increase in Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support payments?? - Probably not. Magsx

I totally agree that there are people "sponging off the state" and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it but while the unemployment benefit is less than invalidity benefit, people will try to get away with it. I am not getting at the genuine cases that receive invalidity benefit, I am only too aware of these people and they get my sympathy. I had to smile though when TB says they should be working, is he not aware that there are a lot of people out there that would love to work but cant find a job! Thousands are being made redundant every week and would love a job. When will this government realise, there are not enough jobs available, They are just playing around with figures and they expect us to be taken in by it all. Right I've put the soap box away now. sorry! June xx

Louise good for your husband, there is the difference of those that want to work, and others who just like a hand out (like the skivers you mention). All the time these people get away with it , there is less in the pot for the genuine claimants who need help. Christine

I agree totally. I'm in receipt of long term incapacity benefit but I'd love to be well enough to go back to work. I have to get sick notes from my doctor every 4 weeks and have a medical examination by an independent doctor every 3 months to prove that my condition still prevents me from working. As I can barely walk, there's no dispute at the moment! However I was encouraged by the doctor and the specialist to apply for Disability Living Allowance, their theory being that if the DLA would cover me being able to get to work by taxi each day (eliminiating the need for walking and using the bus) I could return to work, come off the Incapacity Benefit and get some of my life back. I know people who get DLA who can drive, go shopping, have holidays twice a year, go to the football in all weathers every weekend....without getting TOO personal, on bad days I can't even get myself dressed, I can't sit or stand for long periods of time, I'm on regular morphine for pain relief....and my application was turned down as I don't meet the criteria for someone with mobility problems. The system needs a whole good shake up. You have people who claim consistently without really being entitled and without proper monitoring of their eligibility and then on the other hand, there are people who are genuinely incapacitated who are made to justify every penny Lou

I am in total agreement with you. I knew of someone a few years back who had been awarded an invalidity benefit for life, and it was renewed each year without a medical. In the meantime, this person regained full health, worked self-employed and never declared a penny to the benefit agency or to the IR. When they were finally caught up with, it shocked all of us to learn the truth. It infuriates me. We all know that there is not bottomless pit of dosh. I have a severely disabled grandson, and his parents have worked and paid tax, never claiming a penny they weren't entitled to. Anything else they might have been able to claim, such as grants for adapting the home etc., has been means tested and subsequently refused, or the door shut firmly in their faces because his disabilities are so complex that social services say they cannot afford to meet the cost of providing the support he and his family so desperately need. Recent reports have shown that the more disabled a child is, the less help they are likely to get, which is utter madness! and it all boils down to lack of money. Money should go to those who need it the most, and I am certain that not one tax payer would begrudge their contributions going to people who are genuinely in need, but I for one begrudge my family's hard earned cash going to support some skiving lay-about who thinks the world owes them a living. Carole