Well we all knew it was happening, but 93%!?
26 July 2011, 01:43 PM
#1
Well we all knew it was happening, but 93%!?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14280849
"Only 7% of people claiming sickness benefits were unable to do any sort of work, new figures have shown."
7% were incapable of any work
17% were able to do some sort of work given the correct support
39% were deemed to be fit for work and were moved onto jobseeker's allowance
36% dropped out of the application process
1% of applications were still in progress
Shocking. Although I suspected a lot were trying it on, 93% is pretty obscene.
"Only 7% of people claiming sickness benefits were unable to do any sort of work, new figures have shown."
7% were incapable of any work
17% were able to do some sort of work given the correct support
39% were deemed to be fit for work and were moved onto jobseeker's allowance
36% dropped out of the application process
1% of applications were still in progress
Shocking. Although I suspected a lot were trying it on, 93% is pretty obscene.
26 July 2011, 06:24 PM
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this is in Northern Ireland mind, but i used to work as a fraud investigator for the Social Security Agency. back then we were staffed to detect about £25M of benfit fraud a year. conservative estimates for fraud in NI alone at that time were about £125M. NI had about 1.5M people at the time. what must it be like in England, Wales and Scotland. you do the maths.
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27 July 2011, 10:16 AM
#12
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Put it on as in fake it.
she occasionally suffers from arthritis but no way is it bad enough to justify the disabled living allowance that she gets in my opnion. I definitely think she's commiting fraud, so I guess that answers my own question, doesn't it?
A doctor friend of hers actually suggested that if;/when she gets called for interview she just doesn't take her medication for few days before hand so it gets suitably bad to continue justifying her benefits, which i think is disgraceful personally.
she occasionally suffers from arthritis but no way is it bad enough to justify the disabled living allowance that she gets in my opnion. I definitely think she's commiting fraud, so I guess that answers my own question, doesn't it?
A doctor friend of hers actually suggested that if;/when she gets called for interview she just doesn't take her medication for few days before hand so it gets suitably bad to continue justifying her benefits, which i think is disgraceful personally.
27 July 2011, 10:21 AM
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See that's the sort of person they are shifting.
There are lots of automated call centres where there isn't a need to type or anything so I bet a lot of these that have been found they can do some form of work are the arthritis 'sufferers'
5t.
There are lots of automated call centres where there isn't a need to type or anything so I bet a lot of these that have been found they can do some form of work are the arthritis 'sufferers'
5t.
27 July 2011, 10:23 AM
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Very true, although she's retired now, so doesnt' need the work, but just doesn't qualify for the extra benefits in my opnion.
It's not exactly like she's skint either... and because her 3 bed clapham flat is on housing association i think she only pays abotu 80 quid a week rent!
It's not exactly like she's skint either... and because her 3 bed clapham flat is on housing association i think she only pays abotu 80 quid a week rent!
27 July 2011, 10:45 AM
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Then do me a favour and make that call please. I'd rather my taxes were spent elsewhere than subsidising the lifestyle of a retired lady living in one of the most affluent areas of London.
27 July 2011, 10:51 AM
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Having thought about it this morning, I see no reason not to... I'm 100% in agreement re your point on taxes.
Not that I'll end up paying any less, but it would be good if it went to things that are actually beneficial to the country rather than beneficial to a few lazy people!
Not that I'll end up paying any less, but it would be good if it went to things that are actually beneficial to the country rather than beneficial to a few lazy people!
27 July 2011, 11:30 AM
#17
Yes Im in total agreement with the spongers getting caught.
But you have the people that need the system, getting kicked off aswell.
Like my father he is 67yrs, suffered a stroke and has prostate cancer.
The stroke has left his left side of his body totally useless, he has been kicked off the system.
The DWP Dr's told him, he still has the use of his right side so he can still sweep the streets.
But you have the people that need the system, getting kicked off aswell.
Like my father he is 67yrs, suffered a stroke and has prostate cancer.
The stroke has left his left side of his body totally useless, he has been kicked off the system.
The DWP Dr's told him, he still has the use of his right side so he can still sweep the streets.
Last edited by slipstream_uk; 27 July 2011 at 11:33 AM.
27 July 2011, 11:40 AM
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Hmmm if he's 67 he's retired rather than on the sick.
Have they taken away his incapacity benefit? If he has cancer then they won't take the benefits off him, I don't think, having that entitles you to it straightaway.
Beyond that, if he can get about, make himself a tea etc then you can see the point (I hope)
5t.
Have they taken away his incapacity benefit? If he has cancer then they won't take the benefits off him, I don't think, having that entitles you to it straightaway.
Beyond that, if he can get about, make himself a tea etc then you can see the point (I hope)
5t.
27 July 2011, 12:41 PM
#23
Good to hear its being shaken up, just hope they dont victimize any genuine cases.
It happens with people in work, was endemic at the Police, worked with this guy of about 50, he had given up and claimed he was off with a bad back all the time, was a bonus as he was a liability when he was there, was an Oracle DBA and after he had a new machine I went on it after six months and there was no Oracle software installed. He used to go ont he sick for three months at a time, paid for by the taxpayers of Manchester and would then come back and describe in detail how he did all the work to get his old Sierra through an MOT, involved going underneath it and how he had knocked a wall out and how much rubble he had personally moved to a skip. This idiot played the management off via the union who backed him to the hilt despite he being a malingering cretin, the union rep was a colleague who wanted to stick it to the management. They both ended up out but it was a massive job, the union rep because he went to prisong for sex crimes against a 12 year old boy and the lazy sick note as his protector went.
Kind of put me off union membership a bit.
It happens with people in work, was endemic at the Police, worked with this guy of about 50, he had given up and claimed he was off with a bad back all the time, was a bonus as he was a liability when he was there, was an Oracle DBA and after he had a new machine I went on it after six months and there was no Oracle software installed. He used to go ont he sick for three months at a time, paid for by the taxpayers of Manchester and would then come back and describe in detail how he did all the work to get his old Sierra through an MOT, involved going underneath it and how he had knocked a wall out and how much rubble he had personally moved to a skip. This idiot played the management off via the union who backed him to the hilt despite he being a malingering cretin, the union rep was a colleague who wanted to stick it to the management. They both ended up out but it was a massive job, the union rep because he went to prisong for sex crimes against a 12 year old boy and the lazy sick note as his protector went.
Kind of put me off union membership a bit.
27 July 2011, 08:38 PM
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My pet hate is the blue badge users- i expect the same percentage of these are not needed. My work base is near a public car park and theres a guy using a blue badge who plays golf 3-4 times a week and is quite capable of carrying his clubs around the nearby golf course and walking normally but unable to walk to the pay/display machine and so free parking.
I know its issued in his name as well and hes not just using a relatives. He must be a bloody good actor to bluff at the doctors!
Can these sort of abuses be reported anywhere??
I know its issued in his name as well and hes not just using a relatives. He must be a bloody good actor to bluff at the doctors!
Can these sort of abuses be reported anywhere??
28 July 2011, 12:07 AM
#25
My pet hate is the blue badge users- i expect the same percentage of these are not needed. My work base is near a public car park and theres a guy using a blue badge who plays golf 3-4 times a week and is quite capable of carrying his clubs around the nearby golf course and walking normally but unable to walk to the pay/display machine and so free parking.
I know its issued in his name as well and hes not just using a relatives. He must be a bloody good actor to bluff at the doctors!
Can these sort of abuses be reported anywhere??
I know its issued in his name as well and hes not just using a relatives. He must be a bloody good actor to bluff at the doctors!
Can these sort of abuses be reported anywhere??
If what you say is true (and I personally don't doubt that) can evidence such as photos or a video of him getting about on the golf course be obtained? I would've thought if hard evidence can be presented that he is fit and able, it could be used against him. I suppose it depends how much this bothers you.
28 July 2011, 12:44 AM
#27
Arthritis doesn't always just affect the hands. It can cause pain and lack of mobility throughout various joints. And whilst jobs may be able to be found that are a bit easier, the pain can become bad enough to require time off work. That in itself can be a problem as many workplaces will only accept so much time off before they will dismiss an employee. This (almost) exact, thing happened at my work recently. Long story short, I had a colleague that had some time off sick due to pain, that turned out to be a type of arthritis. Once diagnosis came about, and she was given medication, she returned to work in a less physical role. The medication didn't work, and she ended up back on the sick for quite some time whilst the hospital tried to find a suitable alternative. During which time, they dismissed her. From a company pov, I understand why, but this is where problems arise when just sending anyone out to work that has limited mobility.
What I would say is, I have no idea if she genuinely was as bad as she made out, although she didn't really strike me as work shy. But you never really know. That said, my Dad has a quite serious condition of a similar nature, causing serious pain and mobility issues, yet he still goes out to work everyday. I don't have a great relationship with him now, but I have always respected him for this. But he does have a very understanding employer, who allows for medical appointments etc. If things are still the same, he never actually took sick time for this condition, no matter how bad it got.
This is where things are difficult with mobility/pain illnesses. It's very dependant on the person, and severity/ability to cope will vary (good days and bad days). I'm not sure of an exact solution, but I can see why employers don't want staff that may be off work regularly, yet none of us want to support people that could be doing something. It can be a bit of a vicious circle.
28 July 2011, 07:42 AM
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Some of the interviews are terrible. My mate who is a little overweight - circa 28 stone and has many health problems associated with it, had an interview about him being on the sick. The interview was run by an 'ethnic' lady who wrote what she wanted, she didn't even put his answers down, e.g. he said "I can't even do a bit of DIY the pain's that bad", she wrote 'does DIY'! FFS, he can't even climb a flight of stairs without pain. He's got high blood pressure, a bad back, feet, ankles etc etc. Fortunately he's going in for weight loss surgery and he hopes to be back at work within 12 months. I know he's brought it on himself, but he's always had weight problems (we joined the navy together 22 years ago when he was 18 and he was a big lad then). He's worked all his life but the last three years he's lost everything, house, car, etc due to his ill health and this stupid woman who said he was fit for work!!!
28 July 2011, 08:18 AM
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Situations like the above are difficult, gpssti4, but at the end of the day, anything that removes the dependency culture is in my book, a good thing. It's hard to have much sympathy with anyone who has allowed themselves to balloon to 28 stone (a "little" overweight?? That's morbidly obese, let's not kid ourselves). He might not be able to do much, but he's not actively disabled. I don't want to pay for people who simply can't stop eating.
Last edited by TelBoy; 28 July 2011 at 08:19 AM.
28 July 2011, 08:25 AM
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Situations like the above are difficult, gpssti4, but at the end of the day, anything that removes the dependency culture is in my book, a good thing. It's hard to have much sympathy with anyone who has allowed themselves to balloon to 28 stone (a "little" overweight?? That's morbidly obese, let's not kid ourselves). He might not be able to do much, but he's not actively disabled. I don't want to pay for people who simply can't stop eating.