RE-BLOGGED: Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: Welfare Warnings Become Reality

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: Welfare Warnings Become Reality: Some have been asking why everyone is so sad, so irritable. Well, we spent two years or so warning what the Welfare Reform Bill 2010-11 wo...

An article courtesy of @barnaclebum from twitter

I recently came across this written by a very special lady and a friend of mine on Twitter and wanted to share it with you dear readers:

Every day I click onto Twitter-it's my only contact with the ‘real world’ that I have apart from my dear caring partner and my son when he comes home from Uni. Before I ‘found’ Twitter, the world outside had been lost to me for 5 years. My life had become a very lonely, isolated bleak existence. The last time I had spoken to another person was during a weeks stay in hospital, before that-i can't remember, it had been so long. I found myself asking ‘how did my life come to this’? I used to have a life-a career with great potential-a fantastic social life and lots of people I called my friends. Where had all this gone? How did my life fall away piece by piece like this to leave me alone and scared of what kind of future I might have? 

18 years ago I was diagnosed with having M.E. I also have very severe chronic asthma and have spent my life in and out of hospital. It had never stopped me from living a full active life as much as physically possible. I was never going to climb Everest but I could live with that disappointment! I was content to have a family, a career, and a great social life. In my spare time I worked in the art dept for our local AmDram club which my son belonged to. I loved doing this, it was something I was very proud to be part of. Once I became ill with M.E. all this started to change. I no longer had the energy to keep doing all these things and I got worse and worse until I had to give in and stop doing everything I loved-everything that made me-me. The only help and advice I got from my G.P. at that time was ‘I know nothing about M.E., I suggest you go to the library to look for some books for help and advice’. Wow! I thought-this is fun! So, I went and got 3 books-back then there wasn't much information on M.E. around-it was still being called ‘Yuppy Flu’ for Petes sake! Once I started reading, finally it didn't feel like I was going mad anymore. I was finally able to see that there was this strange illness, it was real after all, not all in my head and I had been unlucky to be affected by it. 

Pacing seemed to be the main message, learn your limitations and live within them. “How am I supposed to do that?” I asked myself. I had a child that needed caring for, a full time job and a home to run, let alone things to do, places to go, people to see! So I kept trying to keep it all going, “I'll rest at the weekend” I told myself, but of course I didn't, and slowly but surely it all drifted away! First to go were the extracurricular activities, no more going out, I loved live music and was part of my local scene for years but that had to stop, id be lucky to stay till the end of the night and then it dropped to being lucky if I could move after tea time. Friends who used to visit stopped coming around, eventually completely. The housework started to slip, it became a choice between help my son with homework and put him to bed or do the hoovering, I saw to my son. My partner had to do his share plus mine. We have always been partners working equally to keep our little ship afloat but eventually I found myself falling through the door from work and collapsing exhausted and in pain. In the end I was signed off sick. I just couldn't do it anymore. As soon as i thought things might be picking up I was knocked back down with yet another virus or chest infection, each time getting a little weaker and another piece of my life would slip by. 

I had now become so ill and weak I was only getting out of bed once or twice a week. I’d cram as much in to those day as i could before collapsing back into bed. I had lost my job, it wasn't fair to expect them to keep the vacancy open for me, they needed someone who could be relied upon to turn up every day and not have to be rushed home during the day from being so weak and exhausted I couldn't move, I wasn't reliable, I had become a liability, it was a waste of a good job and a good wage. At first I was so ill I really didn't care that I couldn't work. I decided it wouldn't be so bad being a housewife. I thought once I'd had enough time to recover properly I'd get well and all would be fine again. To cut a long story short that didn't happen, I tried everything I could find to aid my recovery, from acupuncture to yoga, antidepressants and counselling, exercise programs and even reflexology. You name it i tried it, I was desperate to find anything to help me recover but all i got was worse and worse, until in the end I had to admit defeat and except my life was never going to be what it once was. It took me a long time to come to terms with my life being as it is now, it has taken me five years of being totally bedridden apart from struggling to the loo and back to accept that this might be how my life is, maybe for the rest of my life. It's a bleak hard bitter pill to swallow but i had to make myself accept it or I would become lost forever in a black pit of howling depression. 

Now on top of all this we have the government cutting our benefits we so desperately need. My partner has had to stop work to become my full time carer but has since developed his own health issues. He has just had to fill in his second ESA50 in twelve months, no doubt his WCA appointment will arrive through the letter box any day now, it's hard to explain the fear of a brown envelope but anyone who has experience of this will know exactly what I mean! We have the added worry of him being fairly assessed or will it be the cycle of appeals again. My ESA50 could arrive anytime also. Last year I was put straight into the support group but live in fear of not being so lucky this time. ‘lucky’ to be in the support group! To be assessed as so sick and disabled I'm in the lowest % group of people on benefits who are so sick and disabled, I'm not expected to have to find work. But for how long will i be classed as too sick to work? Especially when people with terminal cancer are being treated as fit and expected to work for their benefits. Maybe next time I'll miss out a piece of important evidence on my form or just get one of those assessors who find everyone fit. How will I cope then? I've only been able to leave the house once voluntarily in the last 5 years, how will I be able to manage if I have to appeal any decisions? We will already be affected by the new bedroom tax now my son has gone to University plus we have to pay £300 council tax from our benefits. They haven't come for my DLA yet, i get the lowest care component so I will be in the Governments target group for re-testing as soon as PIP is introduced. Chances are, it will be taken away rather than increased (im just not that lucky) 

We get no help from Social Services or any other support groups. I get no support from my GP, he gave up trying to help a long time ago, it's just the two of us struggling to get by. Our savings are long gone. We don't have sky TV or a big flat screen TV or even full internet access. We no longer run a car, or buy new clothes or even have cupboards full of food. We barely scrape by yet the government want to take more away to incentivise us back in to work and not be left on the scrapheap as Mr Grayling likes to say. They could stick me with an electric cattle prod but it won't change the fact I am just too sick and weak to work. But I am on the scrap heap, I am unemployable, (if there were any jobs available) so now it seems in the eyes of the government not only am I unemployable but a scrounging scumbag, I have no job so I am a nothing, a nobody, without a job you are not a person, you have no identity, no worth, no value, just a leach on society, taking from that valuable pot even though I contributed to it for many years. It feels I'm one step away from being classed as a criminal for being so ill I cant work. IDS, Grayling, Miller, Cameron and Miliband all talk of getting people off benefits and supported in to work, giving people hope and a future. All great sentiments but where does that leave people like me? 

I'd love to have my life back, I'd love to be able to go to work again, but that is just not a realistic option for me. What about my future? Do I not deserve one? It may not be any worth to a politician but I have a son and a partner who value me, whose lives I am an important part of. Can you Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband understand how humiliating it is to have to beg for every penny I can just to make ends meet? To hear you repeatedly say I have no value, how am I expected to keep fighting when you want to make it even harder for me? For those who wish to criticise I challenge them to live a month in my shoes.

If anyone else would like to send me their story to post on my blog I'm more than happy to do so.

Gentle Hugs to us all.

xxxx

Leigh

NightTerrors and Nightmares.....

So what is the difference ?

Since we were kids we have woken in the middle of night after a nightmare – maybe even woken ourselves screaming at the insane and fearful images our mind produces when we sleep.

For those of us who suffer from night terrors the difference is substantial. Whilst it is recorded that night terrors are more common in children, more and more adults are coming forward to tell their stories.

For me a night terror may often start as a nightmare, but the fear I feel can stay with me for hours after I wake up. I may even wake and physically FEAR going back to sleep. I have been known to scream myself awake or simply shock myself awake, gasping for a breath, heart racing, sweat pouring off me.

On the flip side to this, there is the fear of actually going to bed/sleep because of previous experiences. Such as nightmares, pain, lack of sleep, body temperature fluctuations.

Many people with illnesses such as Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, Lupus, and other such autoimmune diseases and syndromes will suffer from night terrors. Why? Well, for me I think it is because our minds often work differently to those people without these conditions. We may suffer from anxiety, depression and OCD, all of which cause FEAR thoughts and irrational, illogical ideas we cant control. I am no doctor or scientist, but I know what I have experienced and I have heard from others regarding this too and it does seem to tie together in many instances. There is of course the medication issue, as mentioned on the 2 sites quoted below. For those of us with these conditions and others, medication will always play a part in our lives both positive and negative.

Please note the above is my personal opinion and experience of these Night Terrors. The following is medical/scientific information obtained from the internet.

What causes Night Terrors ? Who suffers from them ?
Research has led me to find the following information some of you may find useful :

The following is taken from the website: http://sleep.lovetoknow.com/Night_Terrors_in_Adults where you can read more about Night Terrors for yourself.

Causes of Night Terrors in Adults

“There seems to be a genetic link in night terrors. It is not uncommon for several members of the same family to have experienced night terrors as children, or later in life as adults.
There does seem to be a link between mental disorders and sleep terrors in adults even though there does not seem to be a link between the two for children. Researchers have found that adults with night terrors may also have a medical history of one of the following problems:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder

Even if an adult with night terrors does not have a mental disorder, they are likely to have other sleep disorders, medical conditions and lifestyle issues such as:

Sleep disorders:

• Sleep deprivation
• Obstructive sleep apnea (apnoea)

Medical conditions:

• Hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormones)
• Migraine headaches
• Head injury
• Encephalitis (brain swelling)
• Stroke
• Premenstrual period
• Bloated stomach
• Some types of medications

Lifestyle issues:

• Physical or emotional stress
• Travel anxiety such as sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings
• Alcohol use and abuse
• Noise or light

Night terrors are believed to be caused by a chemical reaction in the brain that causes the sleeper to experience very frightening dreams. The terrors usually start about ninety minutes after the sleeper has fallen asleep when they are entering stage four of their sleep cycle. When a sleeper takes a sleep test in a sleep lab, sleep researchers are able to see a dramatic increase in the amount of brain activity during the night terror episode. This activity will continue to show on their monitors while the sleeper is visually showing the fear of the night terror episode.”

The following is taken from the website: http://www.nightterrors.org/mot.htm where you can read more about Night Terrors for yourself.

“Although night terrors can occur anytime in a persons life span, the most common is reported in children between the ages of three and five. (However more recent studies have turned up showing that many adults as well as children as young as six months experience night terrors on a weekly basis.) Night terrors usually occur fifteen minutes to one hour after going to sleep. I personally experience mine at just about the 45 minute mark. The longer the person is in NREM (the stages before REM) before the night terror strikes, the more petrified they will be when it occurs. Keep in mind though not everyone falls to sleep in the same amount of time as others. This makes a sleep study about the only way of determining what stage of sleep you are in when these events occur.

Night terrors have been shown to appear in stage 4 of sleep. This is just one thing that separates them from nightmares which can occur anytime in sleep. It is possible to make a night terror occur in some people, simply by touching or awakening them during stage 4 of sleep. Why night terrors occur is still a mystery. The mind is supposed to be practically void during the deeper stages of sleep. Most sufferers will awake gasping, moaning, crying but more often screaming.
Breathing rapidly they will sit up in bed with a wide eyed terror filled stare. This panic will often last anywhere from five to twenty minutes. I find the most amazing aspect of night terrors is that it generates a heart rate of 160 to 170 beats per minute. This is much faster than the normal heart rate that can be attained under most stressful circumstances.

Some things that can help bring out a night terror are stress, medications that affect the brain, (It is hard to list exactly which ones) being over-tired or eating a heavy meal before going to bed. Combining all of the above I can usually guarantee an occurrence for myself. Many different medical ailments contribute to the frequency of Night Terrors. The listed items DO NOT cause night terrors, they just seem to put your body into the state where a night terror can manifest itself. People without night terrors will not have a night terror just by trying the above.

There seems to be a common thread in how night terrors manifest themselves. Many people who remember the night terror have talked about seeing animals or people. Most people describe the person that they see as dark and shadowy and feel that the person is going to hurt them. Quite a few people see snakes and spiders. At first I thought people were seeing only things they are afraid of during waking hours. After more research I found that only a small percentage of people were afraid of what they see (in night terrors) during waking hours.”

Found and Shared:

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne .. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in magazines for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.
And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man.....
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within ... . . .
we will all, one day, be there, too!
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched.
They must be felt by the heart
 PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM,

I just had to put this on my blog.

FibroLife and FidgityDigits:

A new adventure for 2012.

Hi, I'm Leigh. I'm 37 and have had Fibromyalgia for longer than I care to remember.

At the start of 2012 I made a decision, a decision to stop being Fibromyalgia and start being me again.

Since I was a child I was always a hands on creative person. Not much of a drawer or painter, though I dabbled at times. But give me a piece of clay, wire, beads, glue, even wood and I was happy to sit for hours "creating".  My grandfather nurtured my talents, allowed me to spend hours in his workshop with scraps of wood, taught me to use tools, had the patience of a saint (and scared the hell out of my Nan when he let me use the electric drill, or had my climbing ladders to sit on the flat roof with him, while he fixed the guttering).

In my 20's I spent 3 yrs studying, as a mature student, specialising in Ceramics, but sadly, due to my health, that passion is simply no longer feasible for me.

So I turned my hand to card making.  Unfortunately, I am too much of a perfectionist and put so much time and materials into my cards I simply couldn't make them pay.  Also, my deteriorating health meant I no longer had the ability to grip certain tools.  I became angry, frustrated and gave up.

So for 5 years I sat back, played on-line computer games, and became my diagnosis.

Christmas 2011, I was bought the most beautiful beaded Amethyst necklace.  I loved it.  I had become more and more interested in semi precious stones and healing crystals since meeting my Reiki Master (I am attuned at level 1) and best friends Simon and Kate.  I felt drawn to many of the crystals and was learning all about their properties.  Unfortunately, the necklace had been badly strung, so we took it back to the jewellers to ask if they could do something about it.  A long story short, and after repeatedly explaining that all I wanted was to have it restrung,  I was met with negativity, a host of abuse and was told that I was no longer welcome in that store.  I got my money back and left, in tears.

That was it - the turning point - I took myself off to several local antique stores and craft shops and spent the money on a selection of amethyst beads and a few other items, with the intention of making my own necklace. 

That was January 2012.  As I write this it is June 18th 2012 and I still don't have a beaded amethyst necklace.  What I do have, however, is a new found passion for jewellery making.  A hobby I hope to develop into a long term business venture, and most importantly, a way to bring pleasure to people, myself included.

All my jewellery and accessories are made using semi precious gems, many with healing properties.   I offer Reiki charging on every item at no extra cost. 

My range currently includes, Mobile Phone Charms, Key and Bag Charms, Bracelets and Earrings.  I also make hand wrapped pendants containing healing crystals, and I am slowly practising and developing techniques for producing a variety of necklace styles.

The majority of items are made using jewellery quality silver plated copper, nickel free/low nickel, in accordance with UK laws, and surgical steel for those with sensitive ears.  This keeps the cost of the items to an affordable price for both myself and my customers.  I am branching out into sterling silver for some pieces and I am happy to use it on commissions, if requested.

In 2011 I also discovered Twitter and Fibroduck.  Fibroduck is a fantastic organisation helping to raise awareness of Fibromyalgia, M.E & CFS.  I spent months trying to find a way that I could help towards their fund-raising efforts. 

 

In 2012 I found it.

I produce "Ducky" Keyrings and "Angels of Hope" phone charms and earrings.  Each item has a portion of its cost donated to FibroDuck Fibromyalgia Research.

"Angel of Hope" Phone Charms: Made from a variety of gemstones:

Cost £3.00 with 50p donated to Fibroduck

"Angel of Hope" Earrings: Made from a variety of gemstones:

Cost £6.00 with £1.00 donated to Fibroduck

"Ducky" Key rings Made with Hematite and Citrine - Limited edition (only 10 made):

Cost £7.00 with £1.50 donated to Fibroduck

The "Ducky" Key rings can also be a made in alternative colours on request.

Images:

     

        

For details of all my other items, commissions and photographs please visit me at:  

http://www.facebook.com/FidgityDigits  or e-mail: Fibrography@yahoo.co.uk

As a side - I am also a very keen photographer and have prints on sale here:

http://www.fidgitydigits.co.uk/

You can also see more of my photography here:  FLIKR

Benefit Scrounging Scum: Welfare Writing - Detail Matters

Benefit Scrounging Scum: Welfare Writing - Detail Matters: Yesterday saw multiple articles written on 'welfare reform' ranging from the rantings of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whose...

UK Fibromyalgia & ME Association v The Sun

Previous Posts:  http://fibrolife-thrualens.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/further-contact-re-liddle-complaint.html
and
http://fibrolife-thrualens.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/press-complaints-commission.html


Todays Contact (May 3 2012) advises the following :


Complainant Name:
Resolved - UK Fibromyalgia & ME Association v The Sun

Clauses Noted: 1, 12
Publication: The Sun

Complaint:

The Press Complaints Commission received 164 complaints from individuals who were concerned that the newspaper had published a comment piece that made a number of inaccurate assertions about medical conditions such as ME and fibromyalgia in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors' Code. The alleged errors related to the history of the conditions and the severity of symptoms. The ME Association and UK Fibromyalgia were selected as lead complainants and additional concerns were raised that the column was prejudicial and pejorative in breach of Clause 12 (Discrimination).

Resolution:

The newspaper argued that under the terms of the Code, its columnist was permitted to express his personal opinion about the nature of the medical conditions in question. However, the newspaper accepted that contrasting views on the matter existed and should be aired. While the complainants considered that the columnist should have offered an apology, the complaint was resolved following the publication of a number of critical letters from readers (including the ME Association) and a follow-up feature on ME and fibromyalgia which provided factual information about the conditions and highlighted appropriate case studies.

Date Published: 02/05/2012

So moving and so ME

A friend has just shared this song / video with me and it hit so many chords, I had to write down the Lyrics:  (This is the 2nd half of the song, the 1st is "I am the boy...." 

 Horses, By Dala

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YrFJFHRlsp8

I am the girl

who won't let go

and I live in my house

and I don't like my photos

and I hate the sound of the world outside

and I still haven't found my place to hide

But I saw horses from my window

they were watching all the cars go

they don't care that I am broken

close my eyes and run besides them

But I saw horses from my window

they were watching all the cars go

they don't care that I am broken

close my eyes and run besides them

Through the Valleys' and the pastures

and I know you'll never find me

Cos I'm already FREE

and I'm already FREE

So don't look for me here

Cos I run in my dreams

In my dreams

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: 48 Hours and the World Changed

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: 48 Hours and the World Changed: 48 Hours. Just 48 Hours. That's how long it takes to turn me into a frightened shell of Sue. How long it takes to take away all sense of w...

32 die a week after failing test for new incapacity benefit

For the record: I am posting his here FOI, just in case it gets removed from the Mirrors Website.

By Nick Sommerlad on April 4, 2012 11:00 PM in Health

More than a thousand ­sickness benefit claimants died last year after being told to get a job, we can reveal.
We've highlighted worries about the controversial medical tests for people claiming Employment Support Allowance which are being used to slash the country's welfare bill.
The Government has boasted that more than half of new ­claimants are found "fit to work" - failing to mention that over 300,000 have appealed the decision and almost 40% have won.
Instead, employment minister Chris Grayling (below) says this ­"emphasises what a complete waste of human lives the current system has been".

Here's another waste of human life.
We've used the Freedom of Information Act to discover that, between January and August last year, 1,100 claimants died after they were put in the "work-related activity group".

This group - which accounted for 21% of all claimants at the last count - get a lower rate of benefit for one year and are expected to go out and find work.
This compares to 5,300 deaths of people who were put in the "support group" - which accounts for 22% of claimants - for the most unwell, who get the full, no-strings benefit of up to £99.85 a week.
We don't know how many people died after being found "fit to work", the third group, as that information was "not available".
But we have also found that 1,600 people died before their assessment had been completed.
This should take 13 weeks, while the claimant gets a reduced payment of up to £67.50 a week, but delays have led to claims the system is in "meltdown".
Mr Grayling admitted last month that 35,000 people are waiting longer than 13 weeks. Commenting on the deaths of ­claimants, a Department for Work and Pensions official said: "It is possible that the claimant had already closed their claim and then ­subsequently died, meaning that these figures may be ­overestimating the true picture."
Of course, they're bound to include some people who died of ­something completely unrelated to their benefit claim.

But there are plenty of tragic cases - such as that of David Groves (above) who died from a heart attack the night before taking his work ­capability assessment.
The 56-year-old, from Staveley, Derbyshire, worked for 40 years as a miner and telecoms engineer but stopped on doctors' orders after an earlier heart attack and a string of strokes. His widow Sandra said: "When Dave was called in for a medical, he felt like he was back to square one.
"He was in a terrible state by the day he died. It was the stress that killed him, I'm sure."
Stephen Hill, 53, of Duckmanton, Derbyshire, died of a heart attack in December, one month after being told he was "fit to work", even though he was waiting for major heart surgery.
Citizens Advice told us it has found "a number of cases" of people dying soon after being found fit for work.
"There seems to be a clear link between the cause of death and the condition they were suffering from that led to the claim," said Katie Lane, head of welfare policy.
"We have always supported the idea that people who could work and want to work should be helped to do that. But we are seeing a lot of seriously ill and disabled people being found fit for work.
"We have serious concerns about whether the test used to decide if people are fit for work is the right test."
The work capability assessments are carried out by private firm Atos, on a £100million a year contract.
The firm made a £42million profit in 2010 and paid boss Keith Wilman £800,000, a 22% pay rise on the previous year.
The response to our FOI request:
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request of 16 February 2012. You asked:
Can you please provide me with the number of ESA claimants who have died in 2011?
Can you please break down that number into the following categories:
• Those who are in the assessent phase
• Those who have been found fit to work
• Those who have been placed in the work related activity group
• Those who have been placed in the support group
• Those who have an appeal pending
The table below provides data on the numbers of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants where the Department holds information on a date of death being recorded in 2011 and whose latest Work Capability Assessment (WCA) date (or activity towards assessment) was before the end of August 2011, the latest data available.
In total, between January 2011 and August 2011, some 8,000 claims ended and a date of death was recorded within six weeks of the claim end. This represents about 1% of the total ESA caseload in May 2011 (the latest caseload data available). The table below shows the position of these claims when they were closed.
Those in the Support Group receive unconditional support due to the nature of their illness, which can include degenerative conditions, terminal illness and severe disability.
Note it is possible that the claimant had already closed their claim and then subsequently died, meaning that these figures may overestimate the true picture. Care should therefore be taken when interpreting these figures.
WCA Outcome at most recent assessment and number of claimants with a recorded date of death
Assessment not complete 1,600
Work Related Activity Group 1,100
Support Group 5,300
Total 8,000
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
Data on the number of ESA claimants that have died following a fit for work decision is not available, as the Department does not hold information on a death if the person has already left benefit.
The Department does not hold information on the number of claimants who died whilst an appeal was in progress.
We then asked for:
The total Employment and Support Allowance caseload figures most comparable with the ones in the FOI request, eg Jan-Aug 2011, showing how many ESA claimants are put in support group, WRAG group, fit to work or claim ended.
Clarification on whether these figures are only new ESA claims or whether they include the transfer from Incapacity Benefit?
Clarification on the six-week cut off figure - why was that selected?
We were told:
As at August 2011 there were around 730,000 people receiving ESA. In the three quarters Jan-Sep 2011, 380,000 people left ESA. It is not possible to provide the further detail you request.

These figures only cover new ESA claims - claims from IB recipients are not included.

The six-week figure is used routinely within the department when looking at where people go after leaving benefits.

However, there are more figures on the outcome of Work Capability Assessments on the DWP website here and here.

Twitter Spoonies Happiness Project

Here it is:


Thank you to all who submitted a picture:  If anyone would like a large size version (approx 2.3mb) of this image I am happy to e-mail you a copy.
Just give me a yell @fibrography or fibrography@yahoo.co.uk

To follow on from this picture I will also be attempting to write some new lyrics for the "Favourite Things" song based on the images I was sent.

There will also be another chance to submit pictures for a new collage later this year so if you didn't send me one this time, don't worry, you can join the next one.

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: Excellent News!

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: Excellent News!: The Welfare Reform Bill may now be an Act, but the battle only just began. Following on from the excellent news that Scottish GPs have cal...

ROYAL FAIL STRIKES AGAIN:

Not only am I fuming over increases to postage taking effect in April (which is going to hit small business, charities and individuals VERY hard), my postman (not our usual one) has just seen fit to hammer on my door and walk away without giving me chance to answer.
When I opened door and called to him on other side of road he pointed at the ground and shrugged and walked off.  A valuable (and breakable) parcel had been shoved under the door mat where anyone else could have subsequently stood on it! 

Had I NOT been home, I would NOT have known it was even there as I dont go in and out of the house via the front door. !!  WHAT AN ARSE HOLE 

Official complaint submitted to RM. and to be fair woman I spoke to was VERY empathetic and sounded genuinely gob smacked at what this guy had done. She has, supposedly, passed it on the the distribution manager, but as this is a first complaint, I wont get a call back about it !   I am assuming it was probably the same tosser who also shoved a rec del letter thru my door, without obtaining my signature, last week.

Prices are to become almost unaffordable from the end of April 2012:

http://www.royalmail.com/prices2012

http://www.royalmail.com/sites/default/files/Royal_Mail_Our_Prices.pdf

1st class letter 60p
2nd class letter 50p

Small parcels under 100g (such as the sort I post for my jewellery):
1st class £2.70   (Currently ONLY £1.58) and Recorded Delivery additional charge going up from 77p to 95p Making a Rec Del 1st class  parcel now £3.65 without my packaging fees.

This means adding more than £1 to the price of my parcel postage and packaging - and will likely affect sales.  Thanks ROYAL FAIL for screwing the little people !

BLACK TRIANGLE ANTI-DEFAMATION CAMPAIGN IN DEFENCE OF DISABILITY RIGHTS

BLACK TRIANGLE ANTI-DEFAMATION CAMPAIGN IN DEFENCE OF DISABILITY RIGHTS PRESS RELEASE

John McArdle          

info@blacktrianglecampaign.org

http://blacktrianglecampaign.org

Scotland’s GP’s call for an end to controversial ‘fit for work’ tick-box tests carried out by French IT company ‘with immediate effect’

Scotland’s GP’s have today called to an end to the Government’s controversial computer-based ‘Work Capability Assessments’ carried out by French IT multinational Atos Origin for the DWP with ‘'immediate effect’:

http://www.bma.org.uk/images/slmc2011agenda_tcm41-212139.pdf

60 Lothian: That this conference, in respect of Work Capability Assessments (WCA) as performed by ATOS Healthcare, believes that:
i. the inadequate computer-based assessments that are used have little regard to the nature or complexity of the needs of long term sick and disabled persons
ii. the WCA should end with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause avoidable harm to some of the weakest and most vulnerable in society

The Scottish-based disability rights and advocacy group Black Triangle was instrumental in getting the motion tabled at the Scottish Local Medical Committee’s (SLMC) conference at Clydebank.

Dr. Stephen Carty who works as a GP in the Leith area of Edinburgh and who is an active member of the campaign said:

“I welcome the support of the Scottish LMC conference on this matter.

This sends a ray of hope to some of the weakest and most vulnerable in society.

It also sends a clear message to other representative bodies including the General Medical Council (GMC) of the significant concerns shared by many GPs across the country.”

He said that “In my opinion the current contractual arrangements between the DWP and General Practice are unsustainable. The WCA as performed by ATOS is not an effective or safe method of determining "fitness to work" and this must be addressed.”

He continued: “All doctors are duty bound by the GMC to report any system or process that may be harmful to patients. The WCA is a harmful process. Scottish GPs have spoken: the GMC cannot remain silent on this matter any longer”

John McArdle, a founding member of Black Triangle said:

 

“The scandal of these assessments has gone on far too long. As a grassroots disabled people’s organisation we are over the moon that Scotland’s GP’s have spoken out so clearly and unequivocally in their condemnation. Our GP’s recognise the severe and avoidable damage that is being done to sick and disabled people through this brutal, draconian and profoundly unjust testing regime as they see it every single day. It must be halted now – ‘with immediate effect’.- before any further harm results and whilst the GMC launches a thorough investigation. They can no longer remain silent. They must act. ”

Please Note: We have been given full permission to reproduce this on blogs, twitter etc as much as we want... PLEASE TELL EVERYONE

A Message from Sue Marsh: (@suey2y)

A word to tweeps who like to support on twitter : We'll be using the hashtag #Braveheart so from one hero to another ;) Can you try to use #GPs as much as possible too and also #wrb #saveourNHS #spartacusreport and any other tags you know people use and follow? Not all at once obviously, but I think I'll mainly use #Braveheart #wrb and #GPs . It's a great example of NHS supporting welfare and vice versa, hopefully NHS tweeters will pick it up too.