A Response to Sue Marsh on her meeting with Hoban from DPAC and Black Triangle

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Benefits, welfare cuts  44 Responses »
Sep 052013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Comment posted to Sue Marsh’s blog earlier from DPAC and Black Triangle

“We’re really unclear on what is happening here- Sue you are going to meet Hoban and claiming to represent ‘vulnerable’ disabled people, as you like to say-is this correct?  We are astonished at your lack of understanding on this whole area re WCA e.g.  no mention of  medical documentation support, number of deaths under this system, sanctions, legal cases that have been brought forward etc. You also consistently take a medical model approach to everything as well as claim expert status in speaking for disabled people. Although we are pleased that Phillip Jones strongly urged you to put out the survey which at least gives disabled people a say, but only those who read your blog…

We  and many others are surprised and saddened that you have not sought any contact with either DPAC or Black Triangle who have been working on this whole area for a number of years, Black Triangle especially are making great inroads into radical alternatives on this horrendous test –How you can still claim that tinkering with the WCA is the right option , we have no idea -you also claim to support both DPAC and Black Triangle  but we can no longer really believe this unfortunately-have you been totally unaware of the calls to scrap this and the many protests against this? This comment will be posted on the DPAC site should it fail to pass moderation, DPAC and Black Triangle”

We were sent links to this and the Guardian article by concerned supporters and need to add that we found the process to post a comment for those that do read and want to comment on this blog would be  inaccessible to many disabled people via the Google account option- didnt understand the other options

Sue Marsh’s blog for those that dont know about it is at

diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/opinions-please.html

but you’ll need to be quick, apparently this meeting is on the 10th Sept

She has also written a Guardian piece:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/05/what-were-welfare-reforms-about

 

The Myths of Being Fit for Work

 All Posts, Atos, Benefits, local groups, Politics, Welfare reforms  11 Responses »
Sep 012013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

As our week of action progresses we thought you might all like to think more about the myths of being fit for work and would like to thank Jill from Brighton DPAC for putting some thoughts about this together for us.

I was recently asked if I’d take part in a documentary to say that not
everyone can work due to their impairments? They wanted to talk to
someone who would challenge the notion that “Anyone can work”. To me
this sounded as depressing as filling in the ESA60 questionaire for
the Work Capability Assessment had been. Having to list all the things
that are wrong with me had made me depressed and anxious so much I’d
needed extra tranquillers and other psych meds at the time. But how
else can a person prove they are not fit for work?

It is true I don’t go out anymore because I get out of breath from
lung desease as soon as I do anything and I can’t even sit up in the
wheelchair long enough to go out. Even so I didn’t feel like
discussing on this documentary not being able to work on the grounds
of being too
physically impaired and I’ve also got mental health impairments which
through my life sometimes made it impossible to work (especially when
locked up on secure wards!). But my mental health impairments
sometimes made it easier to work for example not needing much sleep so
I could stay up writing reports and doing research projects in a manic
fashion.

It is the same manic character beneath layers of stabilising
medications that makes me able to write this post. But if I’m not
careful manic can turn to psychotic and noone needs a worker who has
gone mad. The worst time the madness happened I was jointly running a
computer business  and I started getting delusions that I must light a
lot of candles to ward off the evil forces which were taking over my
home. It wasn’t long before I was rushing around and knocked a candle
over and the place caught fire. I lost my dog, home, marriage and
business and was homeless when I came out of the locked ward over a
year later. That was the worst time but I’ve had other psychotic
episodes since I was 22 and madness isn’t rational enough to allow for
work. Madness stops me being able to function because I get determined
plans of action in my head and all thoughts and energy are directed
solely towards these goals to the exclusion of everything else
including eating and sleeping. So I have to be careful and not do
anything stressful which can trigger a psychotic episode and work can
be very stressful indeed. Anyone who becomes a danger to themself
and/or others can be sectioned and placed in detention at any time and
anyone cannot work from inside the locked ward anyway even if they
could.

Then we have to look at people who are fit some of the time and not
others. They may be able to work some of the time with the right
support but what happens when the support is denied? As Ellen Clifford
says:
“It’s also an issue that came up at the ILF film event. Penny is
considered severely disabled and she has a complexity of severe
physical impairments and mental health conditions and may well not be
found fit for work if she went through a Work Capability Assessment.
But actually she does work (as a writer/performer) – only if her
support package is cut once the Independent Living Fund closes then
she won’t be able to work”.
So here we have someone who works but may not be found fit for work.
But this does not prove everyone can work either. As Ellen says
“Whether someone can or cannot work is relative to so many factors. I
have periods of every day when I am too unwell to work and my
condition is completely unpredictable. I am unable to work in a
workplace that isn’t entirely flexible around me.”

Personally I feel the whole “can work/can’t work” discussion is being
presented in a black
and white way by the media who are mainly following the governments
agenda of paying less benefits regardless of need. If the same
government hadn’t changed the rules I’d be retiring anyway as I’m 60
in November but they are now making me wait 5 more years for my
pension so I’m stuck on disability benefits instead. Even ATOS didn’t
say
I’m fit for work and I know I couldn’t even get there let alone last 5
minutes in a modern day workplace without having to lie down. But I
don’t want to tell you or anyone how unfit I am. I want to say I’m
retired and just getting by enjoying seeing the summer flowers in the
garden outside at the moment. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me or
pity me because I nearly died from pneumonia last December and still
can hardly breath upon activity and you wouldn’t if I was retired on
my pension but because this government rules mean I’m stuck on
disability benefits you can poke and pry to check I’m not lying about
my impairments and call me names like scrounger in the media. The
truth is I worked hard for many years and paid taxes and now I seem to
work equally as hard just staying alive and claim those taxes back in
the form of disability benefits now I need them. When I needed the
hospital the NHS and the welfare state were also there to help me
through and I’m shocked and alarmed that people are now being let
down, denied essential benefits and support services whether they can
or can’t work.

The myths behind being fit for work mean we are blaming the
individuals who for whatever reason do not work and also making out
work is some kind of exalted activity regardless of how exploitative
and alienating it may be for those who are being bullied into dead
end, zero hours contracts, minimum wage, not worth having, positions.
I remember when we were allowed to look forward to the weekend and the
holidays and time off work. And to look forward to a future when there
would be more leisure time away from work. But instead that future has
brought slave labour workfare and a government who sanctions benefit
claimants to literally starve rather than pay even subsistance rates
of benefits.

When C Wright Mills wrote “Every day men sell little pieces of
themselves in order to buy them back at night with the coin of fun.”
he was making the exploitative nature of work pretty clear. And when
Karl Marx wrote “Increasing divisions of labour will result in the
alienation of the worker” he was clear people can think of better
things than manual labour to do with their time. People who enjoy
their work are said to be more likely employed in task centred
organisations rather than power centred organisations or
bureaucracies. People also like to have some expert power as is the
case with doctors, teachers, scientists, artists and so on. These
kinds of jobs require studying first so why is education now so
expensive? Why is education not seen to be at least as important as
being bullied into these manual jobs probably on the basis of slave
labour workfare? Why is some voluntary work, in areas people really
want to gain experience in, say a museum for example, also not seen as
important as a stint in Poundland? Because the government want to
bully everyone who is not a compliant worker including everyone who is
not fit for work due to our impairments of various kinds.

Finally, and I hope this hasn’t become too much of a manic rant, the
notion that ‘anyone can work’ doesn’t make sense. It depends on the
person in question whether they can work or not and on the level of
support they are offered and on the sort of ‘work’ they are expected
to do. Or as Einstein once wrote “The answer is yes or no depending on
the interpretation”.

—

 Posted by at 20:36

DPAC Official Anti-Atos Song: Condem Love

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Benefits, disability hate crime, Disability Rights, DPAC Reclaiming Our Futures Action, Events, media, News, Resources, welfare cuts  3 Responses »
Aug 222013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Updated video of the excellent Condemn Love DPAC’s Anti-Atos song -with massive thanks once more to Kevin Robins for all his work on this. See Kevin perform live at Piss on Pity 31st August-part of the DPAC Reclaiming our Futures week of action.

Also watch this space for more news on how to download Condem Love and contribute to DPAC

 

Con-Dem Love!

They’re screwing up my mind , wasting my time
Keeping up the pressure on this heart of mine
They’ve got a real obsession , egos out of hand
Out to make a make a killing from their “welfare” scam.

This is Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love ,
Condemn .. … Con-Dem love.

Laid my cards on the table told their GP straight
Depressions biting hard and that’s hard to take
I showed him the scars on my arms where I’d cut
He looked me in the eye and said you’re “working fit”

This is Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love
They’re going to show you what they’re made of.

On a circle of emotion on the treadmill again
They took away my social, can’t pay the rent
What can do, so ill, I can’t fight,
I toss and turn I stay awake all night
Darkened thoughts are haunting me
I’m so afraid of this reality

This is Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love
They’re going to show you what they’re made of.

Sitting in a corner — with the lights switched off
This no win situation’s lost
Can’t make no plans for you or for me
There’s no reason to go on you see .

This is Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love, Con-Dem love
They’re going to show you what they’re made of.
They’re going to show you what they’re made of

They’re screwing up my mind, wasting my time
Keeping up the pressure on this heart of mine
They’ve got real obsession, egos out of hand
Out to make a make a killing from their “welfare” scam.

They’re screwing up my mind , taking away my life x 3

©  Robins/Clark

If you would like to know more about DPAC or make a contribution to our work please visit our website www.dpac.uk.net or email: mail@dpac.uk.net or twitter: @Dis_PPL_Protest *Special thanks to all including Rob Livingstone and Simon Gomery for some of the excellent artwork contribution on this video.

 

DPAC Norfolk, Reclaiming Our Rights 30th August

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Benefits, DPAC Reclaiming Our Futures Action, News  1 Response »
Aug 132013
 

 

 

 

 

DPAC Norfolk, Reclaiming Our Rights

 

 

Fri, 30th August 2013

 

12:30pm – 2pm

at

Jobcentre Plus, Kiln House, Pottergate, Norwich, NR2 1BZ             

 

This is part of the national DPAC week of action, toprotest at organizations that are creating barriers to inclusion for disabled people.

 

 

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this event, please join us if you possibly can, tell as many interested/supportive friends and family to come along too. Let’s unite together in solidarity to leave this Government under no illusion that we will not rest until we get our message across about what we want and expect from them and future Governments.

Reclaiming Our Futures: 29th Aug-4th Sept UPDATES

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Bedroom tax, Benefits, Disability Rights, DisabilityCharityWatch, DLA, DPAC Reclaiming Our Futures Action, European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), Events, ILF, Inclusive Education, Independent Living, Independent Living Fund ILF, local groups, media, News, Politics, Social Model, welfare cuts  5 Responses »
Aug 132013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

dpacxx

Reclaiming Our Futures UK

 

Join this year’s week of action to protest against austerity, fight for our rights and celebrate disabled people

 

From 29th August – 4th September DPAC and other campaigns will offer a range of activities you can get involved in. These events will bring together our anger at what is happening now, and celebrate our victories won, both in the past and to come.

 

 

Our rights are being stripped away day by day, by the neo-liberal policies being imposed on us all by the Condems, leaving us without much hope for our futures – or our children’s.

 

We have been here before. Our history is littered with examples of how our community has come together when under attack to fight – and win. From the early campaigns of NLBDP (National League of Blind and Disabled People) through to the founding and manifesto of UPIAS (Union of

 

the Physically Impaired Against Segregation) and on to DAN (Direct Action Network)- Now we have DPAC leading direct action and a host of other key grass root campaigns working towards reclaiming our rights and futures.

 

We have fought our corner over 3 centuries. And those fights have brought victories; the Independent Living Movement, our early CILs (Centres for Independent Living) and early active DPO’s (Disabled Peoples Organisations) and the significant rights for disabled people (which are now under attack). They represent big victories, brought about by mobilizing in our communities around our common cause – and having the will and determination to see our demands met without compromising our rights. We have consistently united in anger and celebration.

  

Download easy read information about the week here:

DPAC easy read (2)

 

DPAC Reclaiming our Futures Action

 

This autumn, we are asking our community to come together in anger, and celebration again – and to unite around our demands

 

We will be launching the UK Disabled People’s Manifesto setting out our vision of how the resources, structures and institutions of our society today can be re-designed to empower disabled people to take part in life on our terms. Disabled people are, and always will be, the experts on our lives and our self-determination. It will be a vision and practical plan that we can take forward in our communities, workplaces and lives to reclaim our futures.

 

In the build up to the manifesto launch, DPAC is leading The ‘Reclaiming Our Futures’, seven days of action to protest against the targeting of disabled people by austerity measures, to fight for our rights for inclusion and independence as equal citizens and to celebrate the value, pride and self determination of disabled people.

 

From 29th August – 4th September DPAC and other campaigns will offer a range of activities you can get involved in. These events will bring together our anger at what is happening now, and celebrate our victories won, both in the past and to come.

 

The plan below is only half the story. We want YOU, your Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation, your campaign group, your community, your friends to put on events and get involved too. Can’t get to our exhibition? – then put on your own. Can’t get to our direct action? – then do your own. Barbecues, debates, quiz nights, family days, picnics – whatever! ACT – in celebration or in anger! (PS don’t forget to let us know what you’re doing).

 

 

Day by Day: 29th August-4th September

 

 

Thursday 29th August – YOU launch our 7 days of action

 

A range of resources will be available for your use as we ask all supporters to start our week of action with an online blitz. You will be the ones creating the buzz and the hype sending letters and twitter messages to targets of your choice ranging from MPs to disability charities to the media. We will be producing twibbons and memes but make and circulate your own. If you haven’t got a Social Media account (such as Facebook & Twitter) set one up now, link to DPAC ( twitter: @Dis_PPL_Protest) and let’s create a cyber wave. #dpacrof

 

The launch will coincide with Transport for All’s Day of Action to make CrossRail accessible: https://dpac.uk.net/2013/07/day-of-action-to-make-crossrail-fully-accessible-thursday-29th-august-2013/

 

 

 

Friday 30th August – Local Protests

 

Last year during the ATOS Games over 30 local actions took place around the UK Local actions mean you get to choose the target of your choice. You could take the Reclaiming Our Futures manifesto to present at your local MP’s constituency office, spread it through social media, protest on the streets against segregated education, the proposed ILF closure or show solidarity at your local Remploy site (for those few factories in their last weeks of operation). Alternatively, you might want to lobby your local Council on the Bedroom Tax and cuts to local services/support. Oh, and as we know ATOS offices are still around too….we’re sure you have other great ideas to add… Remember to let us know what you are doing so we can promote your actions. We will be producing local action resource packs but any materials you develop please send us copies to share with other protests and online.

 

 

Saturday 31st – Disability, Art & Protest Exhibition and Fundraising Gig

 

An exhibition and sharing of work exploring disability, art and protest followed by a ticketed fundraising gig run in partnership with Madpride and Tottenham Chances. Come during the day and join in our banner making workshop to prepare for the big Freedom Drive on the 4th September. If you would like to nominate an artist, collective and/or piece of work please let us know (including any links) and we will try to get them involved. If you want to do a local, street or online art protest too-this could be the day to do it.

 

Venue: Tottenham Chances, 399 High Road, London, N17 6QN Times:

 

12 – 7pm Exhibition: disability, art and protest

1 – 3.30pm Banner and placard making workshop

 

4 – 6pm Work Sharing

7.30pm till late Gig

 

 

Sunday 1st September – Reclaiming the Social Model: the social model in the 21st Century

 

Anne Rae: former UPIAS and current chair of the Greater

Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP),

 

Colin Barnes: Professor of Disability Studies at Leeds Centre for Disability Studies

 

 

As government and the private sector increasingly use a so-called ‘modern understanding of disability’ to redefine who is and who isn’t disabled it is more important than ever that we understand, defend and promote the social model of disability. This isn’t helped when the social model is not fully supported within our movement. This event will be a chance to hear from a range of speakers and to discuss why the social model is still relevant today to our lives and our futures and to map out what we need to do to fight for it. The event will be live-streamed with the opportunity for people to participate in the discussion virtually. We will also be promoting a range of resources around the social model.

 

Venue

UNITE House, 128 Theobald’s Road, Holborn, WC1X 8TN

Time: 12.30 – 4.30pm

 

 

Monday 2nd September – Direct Action

 

Despite the huge efforts of thousands of disabled people throughout the country, it is increasingly difficult to find spaces where lies, inaccuracies and mis-use of statistics can be challenged. DPAC recently released a study into how the DWP uses all of these to vilify and demonize disabled people.

 

See more at: https://dpac.uk.net/2013/06/lies-damn-ids-and-statistics/#sthash.MAk5nTiU.dpuf

 

But why is this down to us? People should be presented with both sides of the story and this isn’t happening. Disabled people are having to find ways to make sure our truths will be heard. Watch this space…

 

 

Tuesday 3rd September – ‘I Dare’ day

 

A day of online action to reinforce that we want ‘Rights not Charity’, and a society where we are able to operate on our own terms as disabled people. Dare to ask for Rights not Charity. Dare to be an activist. Dare to ask more of ‘our’ organisations. We aren’t asking for Care, we want Power: Power to write the script for our own lives, and not to be written out or written off by others. A range of actions and captions will be available for you to capture in an image and circulate online.

 

 

Wednesday 4th September – UK FREEDOM DRIVE

 

A final-day march and events in and around Parliament. Four

 

themed ‘blocks’ will meet at 4 Government departments, central to the lives of disabled people. After handing over our demands, blocks will then move towards Parliament for a lobby where we will formally launch the UK Disabled People’s Manifesto and present our demands to our

 

elected representatives.

 

Choose your ‘block’ and meet at 12.45pm at one of:

 

·        Department for Education to oppose government attacks on inclusive education and a return to segregation (Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT)

 

·        Department of Energy and Climate Change if you’re angry about the numbers of disabled people living in fuel poverty while the energy companies rake in ever growing profits (3 Whitehall Pl, City of Westminster, SW1A 2AW)

 

·        Department for Transport to challenge inaccessible transport, the opening of new inaccessible stations for Crossrail and proposed cuts to rail staff further reducing customer assistance (Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Rd, London SW1P 4DR)

 

·        Department of Health to defend our NHS and demand our right to levels of social care support enabling choice, control, dignity and independence (Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS)

 

Lobby of Parliament: 5 – 6pm – launch of the UK Disabled People’s

Manifesto

 

WE WANT EVERYBODY TO JOIN US FOR THE FREEDOM DRIVE ideally in person, but also online-this is for everyone everywhere. There will be accessible transport from a variety of towns and cities throughout the country (details to follow) and there is some funding available for transport but we will need your co-operation and patience to make this work for everybody, so please bear with us and note that while DPAC members will be given priority we want to support as many people as we can. If you can’t get there send a photo or your name and you can march with us.

 

This week of action is yours. Please take part at whatever level suits you – BUT MAKE SURE YOU TAKE PART. Share our events, resources and actions as far and wide as you can.

 

 

 

Let’s Reclaim Our Futures, together!

 

 

DPAC web site: www.dpac.uk.net

 

DPAC facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DPAC-Disabled-People-Against-Cuts/213545112011414?fref=ts(Open Community group- including allupdates from DPAC)

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DPAC2011/?fref=ts(original open groupDPAC page- faster paced and more opinion driven than community group )

 

DPAC Twitter: @Dis_PPL_Protest 

 

DPAC email: mail@dpac.uk.net

 

 

Remember if you need help with funding to get to London (4th Sept) email us at mail@dpac.uk.net with details. DPAC members will get first priority but we’re hoping to be able to contribute to all that want to come along. If you are unable to come but would like your picture carried send us a photo or message. Please get in touch with any other queries as well and we’ll try to help.

Download this as a PDF Doc: https://dpac.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Reclaiming-Our-Futures-call-out-long-w-logos-v2.pdf

 Download this as a Word Doc: https://dpac.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Reclaiming-Our-Futures-call-out-long-w-logos-v2-1.doc

 

 Reclaiming our Futures is supported by The Edge Fund, Andrew Wainwright Reform Trust, Network for Social Change, Black Triangle, Mental Health resistance network, Wow Petition, Fuel Poverty Action, Occupy London, TUC, UK UNCUT, Boycott Workfare, Right to Work, Just Fair, Unite Disabled Workers, BFAAWU, European Network on Independent Living, Anti-Bedroom Tax and Benefits Justice Federation, and more…..

 rof8

Has the DWP let you know that you can ask for your ESA Atos face-to-face assessment to be recorded?

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Benefits, Disability Rights, welfare cuts, Welfare reforms  3 Responses »
Aug 052013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Hoban-Expenses-235x300

Last month (12 June), Mark Hoban said this during a debate on people’s right to ask for a recording of their employment and support allowance face-to-face assessments: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130612/debtext/130612-0004.htm#13061288000001

 

“The Department and Atos are in the process of amending written communications to claimants by updating the WCA AL1C form. The document is sent to claimants when they need to arrange a face-to-face assessment and will provide more information on how to arrange an audio-recorded assessment. We expect the revised form to be sent out to claimants by the end of next month, once the necessary changes have been made and the form has been cleared for use.” 

In other words – the DWP was finally going to change the documents it sends to ESA claimants to let them know that they can ask to have their Atos face-to-face assessments recorded. It’s vital that people know they have that right, because with a recording, they are able to demonstrate beyond doubt what was said and what happened at their assessments.

By “the end of next month,” Hoban surely meant the end of July – and we’ve just gone past that deadline.

 

Jayne Linney, DPAC, Black Triangle, False Economy and Public Interest Lawyers  (who, with disabled man Patrick Lynch, took a legal action against the DWP last year on people’s right to record their assessments https://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/13/disabled-man-government-court-benefit-test ) are publishing this blog and asking you to reblog and share it to find out if the DWP has changed the documents it sends out to ESA claimants and if people have noted that. Earlier this month, the DWP sent Public Interest Lawyers this document as an example of the leaflet that claimants should receive about their face-to-face assessments. This document includes information which advises people of their right to ask for a recording. We want to know whether people are getting that document and if word is spreading that people can make that request.

 

This is important for a number of reasons. The first is, of course, that people need to know they have this right and that they can request a recording when they are called to an Atos ESA face-to-face assessment. The second is that Hoban claims that he is evaluating the demand for recordings and that he’ll be doing so until the end of summer 2013. (It will be important for people to respond to these blogs as soon as possible – by the end of August 2013 at the very latest – that being the case). https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130612/debtext/130612-0004.htm#13061288000001

 Hoban continues to argue that the demand for recordings is not high. Campaigners have argued, rightly, that their surveys https://dpac.uk.net/2012/11/dpac-survey-responses-on-wca-what-harrington-didnt-ask/

 and calls for information show that people do want recordings – and that demand may well increase if people actually know that they can ask for a recording. Unfortunately – or intentionally – Hoban says that the evaluation of demand will finish at the end of summer. That isn’t far away and doesn’t give anybody much time to find out if the amended documentation (presuming that people are receiving it) is having an effect. The third reason that this is important is that the DWP says it has based its decision NOT to offer recordings for Personal Independence Payment assessments on the ESA experience: “the DWP has not seen evidence from other disability assessments that this would improve the quality of assessments,” Esther McVey told parliament this year. So evidence of the demand for ESA recordings is very relevant to the PIP debate. https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130418/text/130418w0003.htm#13041838000125  The department’s whole approach to recording PIP assessments is a mess – Capita, which has a contract to carry out some of the PIP assessments, originally said it would offer recordings. McVey put a stop to that and said that it wouldn’t. Meanwhile, the DWP was telling journalists that recordings would be offered for PIP assessments.  https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/07/secret-cuts-part-four-personal-independence-payments They’re making it up as they go along, so pressure needs to be applied.

 

The aim should be to get rid of the work capability assessment altogether – but while it’s there, safeguards like recordings of assessments need to be in place. Claimants and campaigners have fought hard for the right to record their face-to-face assessments. As we’ve said, people need to be able to demonstrate beyond doubt what is said at assessments. Atos is notorious for returning fit-for-work reports which ignore a claimant’s true circumstances and the details shared in face-to-face assessments. The ever-increasing number of ESA appeals  https://mikesivier.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/esa-appeals-more-than-double-and-decisions-in-the-claimants-favour-are-increasing/ prove Atos’ problems with accuracy.

https://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/13/disabled-man-government-court-benefit-test

Campaigners have won some concessions through their hard work. These include a commitment from the DWP to offer ESA assessment recordings (on “official” dual-CD recording equipment – people still can’t bring their own recording equipment unless it can dual-produce a CD or cassette). The changed paperwork was another concession. Let’s see if they’ve done it and if people are aware of it.

Download DWP Notes Sheet on assessment

https://dpac.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/WCAAL1C_0713-21.pdf

 

 

 

 

Joint Response by DPAC and Black Triangle on Dr Phil Peverley’s Comments

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Bedroom tax, Benefits, Disability Rights, media, News, Politics, welfare cuts  5 Responses »
Aug 032013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

DPAC and Black Triangle condemn the misguided, insensitive and inflammatory comments of Dr Phil Peverley. We also want to condemn the pitch and severity of the pieces in the Mail and Telegraph (2nd August) framing Peverley’s comments, as a further outrageous abuse of the facts and issues affecting disabled people and those with diagnosed long term health issues.

 

Peverley’s words are an insult to all those that suffer the misery and anxiety of Atos within the regime designed to remove support from disabled people. His words are an insult to those that have died shortly after being declared ‘fit for work’ or before an appeal which found that, once again, Atos were wrong-something that happens with increasing regularly in a system that is chaotic and unworkable.

 

Those people may also have been within the so-called ‘proportion of punters’ that Peverley claims ‘are hell-bent on trying to prove they’re really ill, and need us [GPS] to confirm it’ or maybe they were some of the perceived ‘disgruntled unworking well’ who are ‘full of indignation at being considered reasonably healthy.’ The Department of Works and Pensions DWP own figures show deaths within 6 weeks of tests were at over 10,000. The DWP are refusing to publish up –to date statistics, so we would guess that these figures have risen significantly.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Black Triangle on the 28th June 2012 the British Medical Association (BMA) supported a call to demand that the WCA should be ended ‘with immediate effect and be replaced with a rigorous and safe system that does not cause unavoidable harm.’ Peverley on the other hand thinks Atos are doing a great job -despite new evidence everyday that they clearly are not, despite MPs, journalists, and the public accounts committee condemnation of their conduct and the multi-million Atos contract. (See Dr McCartney’s piece in the British Medical Journal and Black Triangles’ 2013 letter of support from Drs and MPS)

 

Remarkably, Peverley declared that he considered putting a picture of Stephen Hawkings in his surgery with the caption: ‘This bloke is not on the sick!’ The comparison of Hawkings to every single disabled person is beyond bizarre. This is a man with the funds to ensure a network of P.A. support, home adaptations and technical aids- something far out of the reach of the majority of disabled people –where even a basic level of support is becoming increasingly unlikely in the current slash and burn climate. Hawkings won’t miss his ILF payments if the appeal hearing against the DWP doesn’t produce the correct verdict. Hawkings won’t need to worry about local authority cuts or the tsunami of other cuts, caps, punitive costs, sanctions and penalties being imposed on disabled people and other low income people by this Government.

 In Sept 2012 the BMA also said that GPs workloads had massively increased due to the chaotic system of the WCA and increasing numbers of appeals. Peverley also says: ‘’These fitness-to-work assessments – under Atos, and under anyone who takes the role for that matter – generate a massive amount of work in general practice’ in his column in the Pulse. However, neither the Mail nor the Telegraph wanted to pick up on the increased workloads the Atos/WCA system is causing for GPs.  None wanted to mention that people can now be charged up to 200 pounds for GP reports, to support them in an assessment, or that GPs increasingly refuse to supply reports either.- a further hurdle for disabled people and those with debilitating long term health issues in the attempt to gain the support they need in the punitive assessment process.

 The Mail and Telegraph both carried the comments of Peverley. True- they’re both right wing newspapers and tools of Tory propaganda. Yet, the pitch and severity of both pieces in framing Peverley’s comments was a clear abuse of the facts and issues facing disabled people; as are Peverly’s inflammatory comments.

The Telegraph carried the headline: ‘A GP incensed at his surgeries being full of the “disgruntled unworking well” has said he considered displaying a poster of Professor Stephen Hawking along with the caption: “This bloke is not on the sick”’.

While the Mail went that bit further with the more loaded headline:  ‘THIS bloke is not on the sick! Angry GP cites Hawking to shame hordes of patients asking him to sign them off’.

Peverley’s original Pulse piece fits the welfare ‘reform’ agenda perfectly. An agenda that incorporates the right wing media and Governments constant demonising of disabled people as feckless/workshy/scroungers  – Peverley’s original rallying cry in the Pulse was that he did not want to sign ‘sick notes. The piece headlined: ‘Save me from the unworking well’ was posted on the 29th July. Neither the Mail nor the Telegraph showed the same eagerness to publish his jaunty column of 25th April ‘A Curious Case of Missing Sick Notes’ which talks about the constant losing of sick notes by the DWP. But why would they?

Peverley has played into their hands, not only does he appear to support the discredited bio -psychosocial model, beloved of Aylward and Freud, that removes GPs and replaces them with private companies paid with huge amounts of public money- he has given them the final piece of the puzzle –privatise the sick note and remove it from any element of medical evidence. Let’s have 100% ‘fit to work’ even if a 100% drop dead in the process. Those that can afford it, like Hawkings can buy their own private ‘back-up plan’.

In the meantime Peverley has been reported to the GMC. Twitter @gmcuk

There is a facebook campaign group at facebook.com/permalink.php?…

Peverley is on twitter @PhilPeverley

His surgery address for letters is at the link below-please do not use the surgery telephone lines!

Dr Phil Peverley 

Old Forge Surgery
Pallion Park
Pallion
Sunderland, SR4 6QE

 To Protest against this and the other attacks on disabled people join DPAC’s 7 days of Action https://dpac.uk.net/2013/07/reclaiming-our-futures-7-days-of-action/

DPAC twitter: @dis_ppl_protest

Black Triangle twitter: @blacktriangle1

 

Update & Dates Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation

 Action, All Posts, Bedroom tax, Benefits  1 Response »
Aug 032013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

The High Court rejection of 10 legal challenges this week exposes the savage injustice of the Bedroom Tax. Let’s turn anger into more action, more pressure, and ensure no landlord can evict tenants – https://www.antibedroomtax.org.uk/2013-05-29-04-42-41/latest-news/86-an-absolute-travesty-of-justice-high-court-rejects-bedroom-tax-challenge
and https://www.leighday.co.uk/News/2013/July-2013/Statement-from-Richard-Stein

The next steering group of the Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation meets on 7 September 12-4pm in Manchester.  Please email to confirm you can send one or two reps from your local groups and supporting organisations, to help decide next plans.

Ask all Councillors against the Bedroom Tax to add their name to this statement to support tenants and push politicians and landlords to abolish the Tax:
https://www.defendcouncilhousing.org.uk/dch/resources/CouncillorsvBedTax2.pdf

Eileen and Kate
Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation

Other News

Urgent warning to those in the WRAG group of ESA and information on Discretionary Housing Payments: https://www.disabilitysanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/warning-to-those-in-wrag-work-related-activity-group-of-esa.9081/

*Protests Force Canterbury No Eviction Pledge – Canterbury City Council agree not to evict council tenants who cannot pay the Bedroom tax: https://antibedroomtax.org.uk/2013-05-29-04-42-41/latest-news/83-protests-force-canterbury-no-eviction-pledge

National Day of Protest Keeps Up Pressure – Saturday 27th saw 250 marching through Newcastle, hundreds in Manchester marched on the Court, 500 in Liverpool and actions in Barnsley, Milton Keynes, across London, and more.
https://antibedroomtax.org.uk/2013-05-29-04-42-41/latest-news/84-day-of-action-keeps-pressure-on-bedroomtax

Launch of Greater Manchester Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation – over 100 delegates launched Manchester’s city wide fightback.
https://antibedroomtax.org.uk/2013-05-29-04-42-41/latest-news/82-manchester-anti-bedroom-tax-federation-launched

Housing association report on the first 100 days of the bedroom tax show rising arrears and a negative impact on disabled tenants:
https://www.aragon-housing.co.uk/about-us/news/100-days-of-the-bedroom-tax/

Dates

24 August The Mass Sleep Out: protest against Bedroom Tax https://www.facebook.com/#!/MassSleepover  Plans for 39 towns and cities (and rising)  https://www.facebook.com/#!/MassSleepover/info

Disabled People Against Cuts week of action 29 Aug – 4 Sept will be a chance protest against the full range of attacks on disabled people ending with a march through London4th September: https://dpac.uk.net/2013/07/reclaiming-our-futures-7-days-of-action/

7 Sept Anti Bed Tax and Benefit Justice Steering Group – 12-4pm Manchester

24 Sept meeting at Labour conference: Cut Rents Not Benefits – Build the Homes we Need  6pm Brighthelm Centre, North St Brighton

29 Sept Manchester protest at Conservative Conference,  with plans for a Bedroom Tax feeder march

With thanks to Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation

 

 

 

 

Urgent Warning for those in WRAG on Fit notes/sick notes please circulate

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Disability Rights, Welfare reforms  10 Responses »
Jul 242013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

After news that GPs are now being told not to supply evidence for ESA or want to charge people a small fortune to do the job of a GP for writing reports –more tricks from the DWP to get claimant numbers down and trick people out of their entitlement from Disability Sanctuary which we are reposting. They say:

“DWP are stopping sending out warnings that GP fit notes (sick notes) are running out in most areas, you wont know until your payments stop and you ring them. This has been the case in some areas already for a while now, but we have been told today that its something that they are stopping altogether this month. So keep a check on when your note runs out, and when you send one, ensure you check with them to make sure they have received a new note, or better still get an appointment to have it scanned onto the local Job Centre system so it goes live straight away (well almost.)

If posting you must send the note to the centre dealing with your claim, if in doubt then check with them via phone as if it goes to the wrong one they do not always forward them, (no surprises there!)”

With thanks to Disability Sanctuary  

https://www.disabilitysanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/warning-to-those-in-wrag-work-related-activity-group-of-esa.9081/

and thanks to Annie who spotted this

 

Advice and Legal Resources

 All Posts, Benefits, Disability Rights, Welfare reforms  No Responses »
Jul 152013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

We are reposting our list of advice and legal resources with some additions- please contact us if you know of others that would be useful to add or any that are no longer working because of this Government’s cuts to legal aid

DPAC receive a large number of requests for advice and information on cuts and the WCA . We cannot give advice, but direct to web resources that we know.

We also have a DPAC Facebook page which includes many people struggling with issues of ESA, Atos assessments and DWP failures –it acts as an advice forum from those that may have been through the issues you might be experiencing it’s at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DPAC2011/418279398228320/?notif_t=group_activity

Useful web sites

https://www.advicenow.org.uk/

https://www.advicenow.org.uk/advicenow-guides/problems-with-benefits/turned-down-for-dla-aa-pip-think-youre-not-getting-enough/

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

https://edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

https://www.citizensadvice.co.uk/en/  Northern Ireland

https://www.cas.org.uk/cta/find-your-local-cab Scotland

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DoItOnlineByCategory/DG_067277 Find your local CAB

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__resources/benefits/social_fund/short_term_benefit_advances.aspx

https://budgetingadvance.com/

WCA: how to prepare

https://www.socialworkfuture.org/articles-and-analysis/articles/242-survival-tips-for-the-work-capability-assessment

https://antp.org.uk/wcarules.htm

WCA Appeals: what you need to do

https://www.solfed.org.uk/?q=unwaged-workers/know-your-rights-failing-a-work-capability-assessment

Debt

National Debtline

Free and independent advice on debt

Telephone: 0808 808 4000 (Monday-Friday, 9am -9pm; Saturday, 9.30am-1pm)

Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Benefits/hardship payments/Short term Budgeting loans

DPAC: https://dpac.uk.net/2013/05/hardship-paymentsbudgeting-loans-and-short-term-advances

Homelessness

Shelter

A national telephone advice line staffed by trained housing advisers.
Telephone: 0808 800 4444 (8am-8pm Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Saturday-Sunday)

Websites: https://england.shelter.org.uk and https://scotland.shelter.org.uk

Homeless UK

This has an online database search allows you to search, by area, for organisations providing benefits and debt advice.

Website: www.homelessuk.org

DIAL

There are around 120 local Disability Information and Advice Line services (DIALs) run by disabled people and now taken over by the SCOPE charity

For area coverage see: www.scope.org.uk/services/local-groups/dial-uk.

Part 2

Free legal assistance list with thanks to Inclusion London

Bar Pro Bono Unit

Who are they?

A charity that helps to find pro bono legal assistance from volunteer barristers for individuals and organisations who cannot afford to pay and who cannot obtain public funding (legal aid).

What do they do?

The Unit matches barristers prepared to undertake pro bono work with those who need their help. The office itself does not give advice.

The volunteer barristers can provide advice, representation and help at mediation; representation in any court/tribunal; give legal advice on any subject; and draft documents such as skeleton arguments.

How do you access the service?

  • They cannot accept applications unless they come via a referrer (generally, an advice agency such as the CAB or a Law Centre, or a local MP)
  • Visit the website www.barprobono.org.uk
  • For more information if you are an individual needing help Click Here
  • Submit a query via contact form Click Here

Community Legal Advice

Who are they?

A free and confidential advice service in England and Wales paid for by legal aid.

What do they do?

Provide free help or legal advice over the phone. They can help with family, debt, housing, employment, education, welfare benefits and tax credits problems.

They will check to see if you are eligible for legal aid and put you in touch with a specialist legal adviser, or refer you to other agencies of you do not qualify for their services.
Has a free translation service available in 170 languages.

How do you access the service?

  • Telephone 0845 345 4 345 (Open Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 8.00 pm. Saturday 9.00 am to 12.30 pm. Calls cost 4p per minute from a BT landline; cost from mobiles will be more)
  • Request a call back 

               -Via online form Click Here

               -Text ‘legalaid’ then your name to 80010 (Call back within 24 hours)

Disability Law Service (England and Wales only)

Who are they?

A national charity run by disabled people, which specialises in free legal advice and information for disabled people, their families and carers.

What do they do?

They provide free legal advice and representation (e.g. in complaints, using the Ombudsman, tribunals and courts), specialising in Welfare Benefits; Community Care; Disability Discrimination in Employment, Access to Goods and Services; and using the Equality Duty to challenge public authorities.
They run a free legal advice line, open Mon-Friday, 10am–5pm, with an answering machine service for out of hours calls.
They run an Employment Law drop in at their office in Tower Hamlets, where a member of their legal team will assess whether you are financially eligible for legal aid under the Legal Services Commissions (LSC) Legal Help scheme.
They also have factsheets available to download on key areas of the law, such as Community Care; education; employment; goods and services; and welfare benefits. The factsheets are available for download in different formats – regular, large print, text only and audio file.
They commit to responding to telephone enquiries within 24 hours, and written enquiries within 7-10 days.

How do you access the service?

Free Representation Unit (FRU)

Who are they?

A charity that provides free legal representation for the public and advocacy experience for junior lawyers.

What do they do?

Provide legal advice, case preparation and advocacy in employment tribunals (and appeals from decisions of the employment tribunals); social security appeals in the first-tier tribunal (and appeals from such decisions); and criminal injury compensation cases.

How do you access the service?

  • *Do not accept cases directly from members of the public – all cases must come through a referral agency. For a list of referral agencies, Click Here
  • Visit the website www.thefru.org.uk

LawWorks

Who are they?

A charity that works with law firms and legal professionals to involve them in delivering pro bono work.

What do they do?

Aim to provide free legal help to those who cannot afford to pay for it and who are unable to access legal aid.

Services to individuals include free Legal Advice Clinics, free mediation to settle disputes out of court, and free casework assistance if you need more than one-off advice.

Who are they for?

Individuals

How do you access the service?

ProBonoUK.net

Who are they?

A charity that run a website for the promotion of pro bono legal work.

What do they do?

Act as a resource for news andinformation about pro bono work for individuals, advice workers and lawyers wishing to offer help.

How do you access the service?

RAD Legal Services:   BSL

Who are they?

A dedicated legal advice service for Deaf BSL users provided by the Royal Association of Deaf People (RAD).

What do they do?

RAD Legal Services currently has three projects: a Discrimination Advice project, a Webcam Advice Project and a Money Advice Service project.
Discrimination Advice gives free specialist legal advice on discrimination issues in the areas of employment, housing, education and goods, facilities and services.  This is provided by a Deaf solicitor, and can be delivered face to face, via webcam, email, telephone or instant messaging software.
Webcam Advice is the BSL version of the Community Legal Advice Helpline, and is available free of charge to people eligible for legal aid in the areas of welfare benefits, debt, housing and employment.  As well as webcam, they can also provide advice via instant messaging software such as Windows Live Messenger, ooVoo, etc.
Money Advice Service has a qualified Money Adviser giving free, clear and ‘jargon-free’ Money Advice money advice to D/deaf and hard of hearing people who live in the South East. The Service covers the savings and investments; borrowings (credit cards, loans and mortgages); retirement planning and pensions; redundancy; tax and tax credits; insurance; debt; starting a family; and budgeting.

How do you access the service?

Other links

Advice Guide

Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) online advice resource.
www.adviceguide.org.uk

Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)

The website of the national advice agency, including Search for your nearest CAB.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Law Centres Federation

The umbrella organisation that supports and promotes UK Law Centres. For a list of London’s Law Centres, visit
www.lawcentres.org.uk/directory/location/London

Legal Adviser Finder

Find legal advisers or solicitors near you
https://legaladviserfinder.justice.gov.uk/AdviserSearch.do

back to top

Download the list of Legal firms: Public Law Specialists

Download list of Legal Firms: Community Care specialists

 

 

 

 

Workfare week of action now

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Welfare reforms  2 Responses »
Jul 082013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

It’s the week of action against workfare and there’s walks of shame, pickets and surprise visits planned in twelve towns across the UK. Please help us to step the pressure up online by contacting the workfare exploiters below.

There’ll be a new online action every day this week so please keep checking back to the website!

Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer’s use of workfare hit public awareness last week when they announced 1400 new placements in their stores and a benchmark of 2% of the workforce to be unpaid. But this isn’t the brand’s first encounter with workfare. Despite their CEO earning over £2 million a year, they are also profiting from unpaid work through another workfare scheme in Scotland, which targets single parents. It’s likely their involvement is much more widespread – we recently heard from someone sent on a 4 week placement at one of their outlet stores as well.

There has been an incredible response on social media, with M&S forced to disable comments on their Facebook Page at times. Several pickets and walks of shame will pay a visit to their stores this week. Please feel free to contact them with your thoughts as well:

By email: Using their online form
By phone: See this useful list of numbers
Facebook: Marks and Spencer
Twitter: @marksandspencer

Asda

Asda has been at the heart of workfare in the UK, helping the government relaunch its “Work Experience” scheme last year. We have had reports that one of their stores in Manchester uses disabled people on workfare on the night shift. They are frank about their involvement here.

Asda contact form: Click here
Facebook: Asda
Twitter: @asda

B&M Stores

In May, B&M won an award from the workfare industry for its involvement. But the reality of this involvement is harsh. One person has reported: “B&M stores have started using workfare Jan 2013. Receiving free labour and stopping overtime for employees with contracts. The people forced to do this free labour are not happy and neither are the employees!”

Let them know what you think!

By email: enquiries@bmstores.co.uk or customerservices@bmstores.co.uk
By phone: 0151 728 5400 or more numbers here.
Facebook: B&M Stores
Twitter: @bmstores

EAT

It emerged last week that EAT is taking part in Sector Based Work Academies – a workfare scheme where once people have been tricked into agreeing to do it, they are forced to complete all six weeks’ unpaid work on threat of benefit sanctions. Their website invites “Some real honest feedback”. Please feel free to oblige.

By email: Via their online contact form
Facebook: EAT.
Twitter: @eat_news

Whole Foods Market

Also getting into the forced unpaid work game are luxury food company, Whole Foods Market. They too are using Sector Based Work Academies to profit from six weeks’ unpaid work whilst putting people on the schemes at risk of sanctions and hunger. Please tell them what you think.

A list of the numbers for the contact details for their UK stores can be found here. Each has its own Twitter and Facebook, but we could start with the Camden and Stoke Newington stores, where it’s likely this placement is taking place:
Facebook: Whole Foods Market Camden & Whole Foods Market Stoke Newington
Twitter: @WFM_STK and @WFMcamden
And to contact even more workfare exploiters, see a longer list of those involved here. More online action to come this week!

Weds 10th July DPAC Paupers Picnic 11-5.00pm plus..

 Action, All Posts, Atos, Benefits, Disability Rights, Independent Living, News, Politics, Social Model, Welfare reforms  No Responses »
Jul 072013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

DPAC Paupers Picnic: BRING LOUD VOICES TO CREATE DEMO IN CENTRAL LOBBY AT HOUSE OF COMMON AS MPs ARE IN CIA DEBATE – BRING BREAD & WATER FOR THE PAUPERS PICNIC IN THE CENTRAL LOBBY… https://www.facebook.com/events/143321692538348/

 

Plus Opposition day debate program

Commons main chamber
12pm
[ Minister’s Question Time

Ten Minute Rule Motion
Slavery – Mr Peter Bone]

>>>Debate<<<
Opposition Day (5th allotted day) (Half day) – The effect of Government Policies on Disabled People

https://wowpetition.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/ciadisability-on-big-wednesday-july-10.html

HOC sel cmte
9.30am Education
Subject: Foundation years: Sure Start children’s centres
Witness(es): Louise Silverton, Director for Midwifery, Royal College of Midwives, Cllr Richard Roberts, Lead Member for Children’s Services and member of Health and Wellbeing Board, Hertfordshire County Council , Jane Williams, Head of Children, Young People and Family Services, Integrated and Community Care Division, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust and Carole Bell, Head of Children’s Commissioning, North West London Commissioning Support Unit ; Annie Hudson, Chief Executive Designate of The College of Social Work,, Neil Couling, Work Services Director, Department of Work and Pensions, Tim Sherriff, Head Teacher, Westfield Community School and Children’s Centre, Wigan and Elizabeth Young, Director Research Evaluation & Policy, Home Start UK
Location: The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

9.30am Work and Pensions
Subject: Universal Credit: follow-up
Witness(es): Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions, Lord Freud, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Welfare Reform , Howard Shiplee, Universal Credit Director General and Suzanne Newton, Real Time Information Programme Director, HM Revenue and Customs
Location: The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

2.30pm Work and Pensions
Subject: DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13: DWP Statistics
Witness(es): John Shields, Director of Communications and David Frazer, Director of Information, Governance and Security Directorate
Location: Room 5, Palace of Westminster

HOL Sel cmte
10.45am Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee
Subject: Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Committee
Witness(es): (at 10.45am) evidence will be heard from Councillor Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Hackney Borough Council and Councillor Chris Robbins, Leader, Waltham Forest Borough Council and at approximately 11.45 evidence will be heard from Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications, Visit Britain
Location: Committee Room 4A, Palace of Westminster

 Posted by at 21:45

Workfare week of action 6th-14th July

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Welfare reforms  No Responses »
Jul 012013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Edinburgh’s actions during the last week of action shut two workfare exploiters down!

When the Work Programme launched two years ago, the government wanted everyone finishing it to be sent to do six months of forced unpaid work. But all mention of this punitive scheme has now disappeared: a powerful testament to the strength of your actions.

People are pushing back the spread of workfare: One provider has complained that it has 100 fewer placements each week in its area alone. In recent weeks, Argos and Homebase claim to have pulled out of workfare, Wetherspoons has followed them and Debenhams are wobbling. The government has been ordered to reveal the list of workfare exploiters but keeps appealing: it is terrified that the public response will spell the end for workfare.

Now is the time to keep pushing.

On 6-14 July, the week that the poverty profiteers of the workfare industry will be gathering for their annual convention, let’s remind them there’s a lot to be worried about!

  • Call an action in your town or city: A walking tour of shame, surprise visits to your least favourite workfare exploiters, flash mobs, a chain gang… whatever sounds fun to you!
  • Order copies of our know your rights leaflet and get them to the people who need them!
  • Take part in daily online actions targeting those who profit from workfare.

Whatever you plan, tell us and we’ll help spread the word. Boycott Workfare can help with the costs of props, printing or travel, so tell us if that would be useful too! info[at]boycottworkfare[dot]org

Let the workfare profiteers know: If you exploit us, we will shut you down!

For updates: https://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=2667

 

Lies, Damn IDS and statistics

 All Posts, Benefits, disability hate crime, media, Welfare reforms  5 Responses »
Jun 262013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

At the end of this month, the Department for Work and Pensions will be releasing their Annual Report, and Iain Duncan Smith and his henchministers will no doubt be touring the TV studios to deliver more propaganda about worklessness and disability.

We’ve decided to celebrate the release of the DWP Annual Report by releasing a report of our own.

It is a report into how the DWP and DWP Ministers have made claims which are simply untrue. We’ve selected 35 claims and and found clear evidence that these claims have no basis in the facts.

So when you next see Iain Duncan Smith on the TV News, ask yourself, is he lying? or is he simply making it up out of thin air again?

You can read the full report here: https://www.scribd.com/doc/149776210/DPAC-Report-on-DWP-Abuse-of-Statistics-Final-22-June-2013

Updates : the Fight against the Bedroom Tax

 All Posts, Benefits, Welfare reforms  2 Responses »
Jun 192013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

The fight against the Bedroom Tax and benefit cuts is spreading to new areas, as rent arrears and eviction threats sharpen the pressure. 

Manchester had a first victory last week, when protests outside Court headed off a Bedroom Tax eviction – see report and photo

Barnsley will be outside Court on Thur 20th when 700 people are summonsed for Council Tax arrears.  They are asking other groups to come with banners – details here (scroll down the page)

In Birmingham 300 people marched on Saturday despite pouring rain, in memory of Stephanie Bottrill – see BBC and ITV Central News report

Campaigns and growing rent arrears are upping pressure on Councils and landlords. Tenants are demanding to address landlords at this year’s big Housing Conference 2013 and will join a big Bedroom Tax protest when Lord Freud and other ministers speak to the conference 27 June in Manchester details here

Councils oppose Bedroom Tax:  36 local authorities met at Manchester Town Hall 7 June and called on the Government to abolish the bedroom tax – see report. This is a welcome beginning – we will continue to campaign and call for councils and landlords to agree “No Evictions” due to benefit cuts, as at least 15 councils have so far, and fight to ensure no one loses their home.

The first steering group meeting of the Anti-Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation on 8 June (see broadcast here) heard reports from round the country and agreed the following:

Campaigning:

  • Produce more material including a guide on how to fight the bedroom tax
  • Feed the website, twitter and facebook with reports and stories: email benefitjustice@gmail.com
  • Frequent press releases

Organising:

  • Try to co-ordinate a network of local and national politicians against the bedroom tax
  • Start discussions about date for national demonstration
  • Next steering group meeting – early September – venue tbc

Diary:

  • Saturday 22 June: Help leaflet and talk about benefit cuts at the People’s Assembly – London
  • Thursday 27 June: Lord “Spare Mansion” Freud Protest –  Manchester
  • Saturday 27 July: National Day of Protests against the Bedroom Tax and Benefit Cuts – leaflet here

Keep in touch – let us know your plans for 27 July Protests – and if you have suggestions, want speakers or help.

Eileen Short

for Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Fed

Follow the campaign: www.antibedroomtax.org.uk     facebook: The Anti-Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation Twitter:  @benefitjustice   

 

 

Information on Sanctions wanted by Boycott Workfare

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, News, Welfare reforms  3 Responses »
Jun 142013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net
Boycott Workfare is a UK-wide campaign to end forced unpaid work for people who receive welfare. Workfare profits the rich by providing free labour, whilst threatening the poor by taking away welfare rights if people refuse to work without a living wage. We are a grassroots campaign, formed in 2010 by people with experience of workfare and those concerned about its impact. We expose and take action against companies and organisations profiting from workfare; encourage organisations to pledge to boycott it; and actively inform people of their rights.

Boycott Workfare call for sanction stories

Posted: June 12th, 2013 | Author: boycottworkfare | Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Boycott Workfare outside Policy Exchange after "ruining" their event

Boycott Workfare outside Policy Exchange after “ruining” their event

In return for supporting the passage of a retrospective law to steal £130 million from claimants who were illegally sanctioned, the Labour party were promised by the government that there would be an independent investigation into the sanction process. Of course, we expect little from an investigation that came at the price of justice for claimants. With no space for claimants to actually submit their concerns and experiences, the views of claimants will be not be represented.

With your help, Boycott Workfare would like to highlight the devastating impact that benefit sanctions are having on people’s lives. Collecting together your experiences of benefit sanctions we will be putting together a sanctions zine. Email us your words, however many or few you want to use. Things you may want to include may be:

– the length of the sanction

– the ‘reason’ the Job Centre gave for imposing the sanction and how they told you this ‘reason’

– how it affected your life, including its impact on your physical and mental health, your family and friendships

– how you coped during this time

– and how you are doing now e.g. still claiming JSA, stopped signing on, signing on to a different benefit, stress/worry about further sanctions etc.

– perhaps you have not been sanctioned, but have been bullied and threatened with sanctions

Email us at info@boycottworkfare.org

Feel free also to submit drawings and get in touch if you have any other ideas or suggestions. We also welcome submissions from those who are indirectly affected by benefit sanctions, such as welfare activists, welfare advisors and those involved in the Civil Service Rank and File Network.

We look forward to reading your submissions!

 Posted by at 16:22

Press release: Independent Living Fund – Birthday Protest

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Independent Living, Independent Living Fund ILF, media, News, Welfare reforms  No Responses »
Jun 102013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Monday, June 10th -2pm Dean’s Yard, Westminster with delivery of Birthday Card and photo opportunity at DWP office, Tothill Street.

 

Disabled people will gather tomorrow to celebrate the twenty fifth birthday of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) which was set up to support disabled people with the highest levels of support need to live in the community instead of being confined to residential care. The silver jubilee of the ILF follows the government’s announcement in December 2012 that the Fund will be permanently shut from April 2015 leaving disabled people in despair about their future.

 

Since it was established on 8th June 1988 the ILF has supported thousands of disabled people to live active and meaningful lives enjoying choice, control and independence and being able to participate in employment and volunteering, education and training and family, social and public life.

 

Local authorities do not and cannot provide the same level of range of support as the ILF. Even for disabled people found eligible for adult social care services, support packages are ever diminishing as funding for local authorities is slashed. Since the closure of the ILF to new applicants in December 2010 there has been a marked increase in inequality and oppression with support packages that do no more than feed, water and maintain disabled people effectively trapped in their homes. This is inhumane and in clear breach of disabled people’s fundamental human rights.

 

The permanent closure of the ILF signals the end of disabled people’s right to independent living. A spokesperson for Disabled People Against Cuts said, “It is shameful that in one of the richest countries in the world, disabled people should be left to live this way and that independence and inclusion should be sold out in favour of inequality and oppression.”

 

Protesters will gather to share birthday cake and celebrate the lives that support through the ILF has enabled us to live before presenting a birthday card to the Department for Work and Pensions.

 

contact –

Anne 0787 2038370

Jenny – 07966 132 523

 

 

JSA Benefit sanctions sky rocket under coalition!

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, News, Welfare reforms  37 Responses »
Jun 082013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

2.25 Million -But Why so many?

2.25 Million Jobseeker’s sanctioned
since Coalition came to office!

Are they serious?

These figures are truly earth shattering.

DWP figures which you can access here show that since May 2010 an astonishing 2,257,000 claimants on Jobseeker’s Allowance have had their benefits referred for a decision on whether to cut their benefits for a fixed length period.  The numbers of sanction referrals has rocketed from around 5,500 to 6,000 per month since 2000 right the way up to 2007, since then they have slowly increased but it is only since the Coalition took office that sanction referrals have sky rocketed to levels we have never seen before.  A study conducted by the DWP in 2006 showed that around 130,000 claimants in total were subject to sanction referral in a year.  These latest figures are seeing figures of over 110,000 in a single month.

From April 2000 to October 2012 there has been a total of 3,192,910 sanctions where a decision has been made over whether the claimant’s benefit should be stopped for a fixed period.  The fact that two and a quarter million of those sanction referrals have been recorded should be cause for serious concern as to the vigour at which they are being applied.

The DWP’s statistical footnote explains that ‘prior to April 2010, a Failure to Attend Advisory Interview attracted an entitlement decision. Since then, it has attracted a fixed length sanction of between 1 and 2 weeks.’  It is this kind of sanction which accounts for 1,150,670 of all sanctions – by far the largest number, this category has only come in to play since the Coalition took office.  487,980 reported failures to participate in the Coalition’s Work Programme are recorded since July 2011.  The fixed length sanction regime can last a longer than two weeks but the period of 1 to 2 weeks is what is recorded in the DWP’s notes.

These figures raise serious questions over the validity of the sanction regime.  It is simply incomprehensible that the rate of sanction should increase from 5,000 per month to over 100,000 purely because new conditionality has been built in to the claims regime. It should be remembered that these figures only relate to those claiming Jobseekers Allowance, the DWP has yet to publish full figures for the Employment & Support Allowance.

Questions should be asked as to whether it is the DWP’s privately contracted Work Programme providers who have simply become too ‘sanction happy’ in a bid to cover up their badly performing rates of placing the most ‘difficult to place’ claimants in to the workplace.  Claimants stand to lose their benefits for 1 to 2 weeks for failing to attend an advisory interview, in many cases their appeal rights are limited or not explained to them.  I can recall cases where claimants were sanctioned for the most bureaucratic of reasons.  In one case a claimant attended the Jobcentre for a full hour and a half in the morning happily going through all of his return to work options and was told he did not need to return in the afternoon to sign on at a desk which was a matter of a few metres away in the very same Jobcentre from where he was in the morning.  He was assured his signing details would be passed to the claims adviser and thought no more about it.  he later learnt he had been sanctioned for not turning up in the afternoon.  He ended up having to appeal – a process which took months.

One has to wonder if these sanctions are being imposed as a way of reducing the numbers who appear on the DWP’s payment database; which is needless to say closely linked to the data collected for Government unemployment statistics. Once a claimant has been removed from the payment database there is no telling how long it will be before the claimant reappears as a statistic – despite it being only a matter of weeks without benefit it can take months to adjust government statistics. 

Here’s the DWP figures:

 

 

Month                    

Claimants sanctioned 

May-10
Jun-10
Jul-10
Aug-10
Sep-10
Oct-10
Nov-10
Dec-10
Jan-11
Feb-11
Mar-11
Apr-11
May-11
Jun-11
Jul-11
Aug-11
Sep-11
Oct-11
Nov-11
Dec-11
Jan-12
Feb-12
Mar-12
Apr-12
May-12
Jun-12
Jul-12
Aug-12
Sep-12
Oct-12

61.020
80.410
84.870
84.170
89.180
88.490
87.250
67.670
73.500
80.080
89.130
62.540
58.970
54.260
48.830
51.000
50.740
52.700
61.930
52.140
65.390
75.520
86.310
80.560
98.220
88.840
110.470
96.270
97.040
79.500

Total 


2,257,000

A further DWP report issued in 2012 tells us how the sanction system operates in practice:

“If a claimant fails to undertake any activity required as a condition of their participation on the Work Programme without good cause, then a doubt may be raised against their claim. These doubts are referred to the DWP Sector Decision Makers (SDMs). Once the SDM has made a decision on whether to sanction or disallow/allow a referral, they enter their decision on a system called DMAS (Decision Making and Appeals System). The decision is also sent back to the Jobcentre Plus office for entry to LMS (Labour Market System) and JSAPS (JSA Payment System) which then makes the appropriate changes to the actual payment to the customer. ”

So it would appear the LMS records are updated upon sanction and will will have the effect of quickly ‘adjusting’ the unemployment figures – very handy.

Now lets compare those sanction figures with previous years using the same DWP data sources:

Month                    

Claimants sanctioned 

May-00
Jun-00
Jul-00
Aug-00
Sep-00
Oct-00
Nov-00
Dec-00
Jan-01
Feb-01
Mar-01
Apr-01
May-01
Jun-01
Jul-01
Aug-01
Sep-01
Oct-01
Nov-01
Dec-01
Jan-02
Feb-02
Mar-02
Apr-02
May-02
Jun-02
Jul-02
Aug-02
Sep-02
Oct-02

5.760
5.540
5.190
5.900
5.570
5.980
6.400
5.090
5.860
6.190
6.830
5.440
5.630
5.940
5.950
5.910
4.970
6.110
6.080
4.700
4.920
5.630
6.050
5.940
6.500
5.200
7.140
6.150
5.760
6.130


Total


174,460

Isn’t it astonishing that under the Coalition sanctions have soared to two and a quarter million compared with 174,460 over the same time period between 2000 and 2002? Yet the Coalition are always telling us how they’re reducing the numbers claiming Jobseekers Allowance with figures of approximately 1.5 million – they’ve seemingly sanctioned more than are currently claiming!

One also has to wonder how the rushed off its feet DWP is physically able to deal with this many sanctions, especially with all the appeals and reclaims it has to process – it all points to systematic chaos within the Department.

with thanks to the continously brilliant Nick for more go to

https://ilegal.org.uk/thread/7123/work-programme-working

Twitter: @Mylegalforum

Update and new Actions in Fight against the Bedroom tax

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Disability Rights, Events, Politics, Welfare reforms  2 Responses »
Jun 042013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Last Saturday saw thousands on the streets again against the Bedroom Tax. Reports and photos are still coming in – see https://antibedroomtax.org.uk/ and Anti-Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation on facebook

 

Reminder:

This Saturday 8 June, 12.30-2.30pm
is the first Steering Group meeting for the Anti Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice Federation
at Somerstown Community Centre 150 Ossulston St London NW1 1EE (beside St Pancras and Kings Cross rail and Underground station and very near Euston station)

All Bedroom Tax and Benefit Justice groups, and other campaigns fighting benefit cuts, plus supporting trade unions and organisations, are invited to send reps.  Get in touch for details or directions.

 

Hull is the latest Council considering tenants’ demands not to evict due to Bedroom Tax. Councils agreeing not to evict is a big boost to campaign confidence. Even when they continue to threaten eviction, this promise helps to galvanise resistance and keep up the pressure.

Barnsley are already threatening court action and campaigners are preparing protests at court hearings.

 

Other Dates
15 June Birmingham protest march – No more deaths from Bedroom Tax. March has support of Stephanie Bottrill’s family, and all local groups are asked to come with a banner/placards.
25 June Manchester – Lobby the Housing Providers 12-1pm CIH conference https://www.cih.org/housing2013

Ellen Clifford talks to Real Fare on Welfare Reform and Protest

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Disability Rights, Welfare reforms  1 Response »
May 292013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

“The government have managed to get away with causing misery…and there hasn’t been an outcry because they’ve wrapped it up in all this language of reform”

Ahead of the national day of protest against welfare reforms this Saturday, we caught up with Ellen Clifford – one of the organisers of the Benefit Justice Campaign. In this first part of the interview, we talk about the Campaign, divisive tactics and the need for unity.

Ellen Clifford - Benefit Justice Campaign/DPAC

Ellen Clifford – Benefit Justice Campaign/DPAC

For those that don’t know, could you tell us a bit more about the Benefit Justice Campaign, how it came about and why now? 

The Benefit Justice Campaign was set up by three campaigns, DPAC – Disabled People Against Cuts, Defend Council Housing and the Right To Work Campaign. We came together in January of this year because the people that we represent were being hit on all sides by cut after cut after cut from this government and we wanted to unite together to form a campaign. So rather than disabled people campaigning on our own, we want to be with council house tenants who were going to be hit by the bedroom tax, and with unemployed workers, and we also wanted to unite with workers through the trade unions because the government has been using a lot of divisive rhetoric about benefit scroungers and the difference between strivers and skivers, and we wanted to come together and overcome a lot of those myths, that a lot of people who are being hit by the benefit cuts are actually in work. And what the government is doing affects people in work and out of work – so to provide a combined campaign to oppose it.

Why have the government been pushing this striver vs. skiver debate? 

Well it was very effective and it has been very effective over the last couple of years. People have actually thought we really need to reform the welfare state. A lot of people talk about the need to stop all these people having a lifestyle on benefits. So actually the government rhetoric has been really effective, and what they’ve managed to do is they’ve managed to get away with causing misery and pushing many, many thousands of disabled people – the poorest members of society, into poverty. That’s what they’ve been effectively doing, but they’ve got away with it and there hasn’t been an outcry because they’ve wrapped it up in all this language of reform and saying that these people are taking all the taxpayers’ money, and trying to point the finger at people that don’t really exist. There aren’t people choosing to live a lifestyle on benefits because it’s ‘such a wonderful life’.

A lot of people would say we’ve got this national debt, so there has to be cuts. ‘Everyones feeling the pinch’, so what would you say to them?

Yeah, not everyone’s feeling the pinch. There’s a certain section of society that really isn’t being affected by it. Meanwhile, there are sections of society that are being hit over and over again. So research that came out recently from the Campaign For a Fair Society, showed that the poorest members of society are being hit harder than anyone else. But they also showed that disabled people with the highest level of support needs, people with complex and severe disabilities, are being hit 19 times harder than the average person so there’s no way ‘we’re all in it together’. There are some sections of society who are being deliberately targeted harder than anyone else.

“Austerity is lining the pockets of certain sections of society.”

Meanwhile, the Sunday Times Rich List in April showed that the 1000 wealthiest UK residents increased their wealth by £35bn last year. So some people are getting richer out of this actually. Austerity is lining the pockets of certain sections of society.

So why aren’t we attacking rich people more?

I think some sections of the population are, but we mainly do that through social media, through our own blogs, or through the left wing media maybe. Certain elements of the right wing media certainly have fallen in with the government and they will reproduce the government statistics which are shown to be misrepresented most of the time.

A Previous Defend Council Housing Protest in London Image: demotix.com

A Previous Defend Council Housing Protest in London Image: demotix.com

You already have a lot of support for the campaign, but how do you get to the people who are a little more shut off? There must be people who would maybe stand with you and support you, but they aren’t aware of what is going on. How do you get to them, and how do you get them to act?  

And it’s the isolated people who are more likely to be in trouble because they’ve got no support so it’s about reaching those people. I think through social media DPAC has got quite an online presence. We’re very involved in Facebook and Twitter and social media, and people find us through that because people are looking because they don’t know where else they can turn to. So that’s one way, but of course people don’t all have access to social media and the internet, and what we’re seeing increasing is local campaigns being set up and just going around, like I was doing on Sunday, just knocking on doors in estates where people are affected – so actually meeting people in person.

At the Benefit Justice Summit a couple of weeks ago in Westminster, you had many organisations coming together for different struggles – around 37 from around the country including DPAC, Hands Off Our Homes, Manchester vs. Bedroom Tax and so on. There was a lot of talk about unity, and coming together – why is that such a strong message right now?

I think people are feeling that because we’ve been attacked for the last couple of years and we haven’t managed to change it yet. The government have done some small U-turns – for example the bedroom tax exempting children with severe disabilities. But, we’ve never got them reverse the direction of welfare reform so I think people want to come together en masse to try and mobilise, to try and fight against the bigger things that are happening – essentially to get the government out and that’s only going to happen if everyone campaigns together.

Find out more about the Benefit Justice Campaign here.

Join us for the second part of the interview on Thursday.

Follow us on Twitter/Like us on Facebook

With thanks to Real Fare please follow this excellent blog

https://realfare.wordpress.com/

 

 

Another manipulation of figures by the right wing press and the Tory party about incapacity benefit claimants: Anita Bellows

 All Posts, Atos, Benefits, disability hate crime, Welfare reforms  2 Responses »
May 292013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

The chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Andrew Dilnot, has responded to a complaint from Sheila Gilmore MP regarding an article published in the Daily Telegraph which implied that 900,000 people who had been in receipt of Incapacity Benefit had dropped their claims rather than undergo a face-to-face assessment for the replacement benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The article quoted Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP, in his capacity as Conservative Party Chairman, as saying “This is a new figure, nearly a million people have come off incapacity benefit…before going for the test. They take themselves off.”

After investigation, Mr Dilnot concluded that these statements were misleading, although he formulates his response more diplomatically, as the 900,000 persons quoted did not appear to be claiming Incapacity Benefits, but represented the cumulative total of 878,300 new ESA claims which were closed before undergoing assessessment in the period from October 2008 to May 2012. Which means these people closed their claims before receiving benefits, and this happened over a period of four years. And according to research undertaken by DWP, an important reason why ESA claims in this sample were withdrawn or closed before they were fully assessed was because the person recovered and either returned to work, or claimed a benefit more appropriate to their situation.

Regarding claimants on Incapacity Benefits, a total of 603,600 recipients were referred for reassessment as part of the migration across to ESA between March 2011 and May 2012. Of these, 19,700 claims were closed prior to a work capability assessment in the period to May 2012.

Again, the right wing press and the Conservative Party have been caught red handed manipulating the figures. This is an exercise that DWP and IDS have also mastered over the past 3 years, by repeatedly using the number of new ESA claims to boost the number of people found fit for work, and distorting the real picture. The real picture for those who can remember the media headlines fed by DWP ” 70% of Britons on ‘incapacity benefits’ found to be fit to work”, is that with a much more stringent test, over 70% of people previously on incapacity benefits are still entitled to them.

Link to PDF copy of  letter HERE

The Atos experience: please read this

 All Posts, Atos, Benefits, media, Welfare reforms  10 Responses »
May 282013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

When I received the initial phone call, from the DWP, I was hopeful that my health would be assessed fairly. I knew nothing of Atos.

I was told that during the process, I would lose no money. That was the first inaccuracy of many to come.

I returned the completed health questionnaire and waited.

Soon after I was summoned to attend a medical assessment at Wolverhampton, to be conducted by a ‘health care professional’ (HCP). This turned out to be the strangest medical I’ve ever gone through. I was asked to squeeze the HCPs fingers; I was asked to squat, and was told that I could use the wall as balance if necessary.

What possible relevance could these exercises hold?

The HCP spent more time looking at the computer monitor than she did in eye to eye contact.

The assessment eventually ended and I left, with a feeling of impending doom.

When I received the decision from the DWP, I was a little shocked, I must be honest. I knew that I could not carry out constant functions over a period of hours. I knew how my symptoms displayed themselves.

I sought help at my local CAB centre and almost at once I felt a sense of relief that I was not on my own.

The CAB advisor spent over twice the time the HCP had done and she came up with a report which clearly explained how my health affected my ability to carry out day to day functions.

There was nothing so profound in the DWP report.

My first appeal, to the DWP, failed as was expected, and I was advised to appeal to the first tier tribunal.

I also contacted my MP, Valerie VAZ, who wrote to the DWP, arguing that the assessment had failed to consider the degenerative nature of my condition, and was therefore flawed.

Soon after I received a phone call from a Decision Maker (DM) at the DWP who, after running through the assessment findings, offered another assessment.

Subsequent I received a new date with Atos.

This was in June 2012.

Between then and May 2013 I attended a handful of appointments, all of which were either cancelled by Atos due to my falling poorly during an assessment or for some administrative reason, such as computer problems.

On one occasion I was conveyed from the assessment centre to the local AE dept., when my BP & Pulse Rate were exceedingly high, and I was experiencing chest pains.

I spent the rest of that day hooked up to a variety of machines in the hospital.

Days later I received another Atos appt., this time for 0900…there was no chance I could make an appt. so early in the morning.

They should have been aware of this. It’s mentioned in my medical notes.

These frequent journeys were taking their toll on my health. My GP was so concerned that he wrote to Atos, explaining and sharing these concerns.

The Atos response was to change my AC venue from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, which is further to travel, and to approve a taxi, for collection and drop off at the attendance centre (AC). I already had a lift too the AC. travel was NOT the issue.

Atos had, for whatever reason, misread or misunderstood the nature of the letter from my GP.

The next appt. was the first taxi journey to the new venue, Birmingham, and my appt. was for 1:15pm.

I rang Atos at 12:30 just to confirm the taxi was booked, and was told it was.

13:15 came and went with no taxi.

The taxi arrived at about 13:25, which meant I was already late.

I arrived at 1355. Almost 45 minutes late.

To add insult to injury, I had pre-arranged to meet my welfare advice rep. at Birmingham. He was not happy either.

Understandable really.

More complaints were submitted to Atos.

This time they responded, eventually, with the offer of a home assessment.

Great news? No!

By the time if my tribunal I had still received no appt. for the Atos doctor to attend my home for the assessment.

My appeal was heard by the First Tier Tribunal and I was successful.

As good as this news is, it must not be seen as a way out for Atos. They caused considerable stress and aggravated my medical conditions for over a year with the catalogue of errors conducted by their staff. Pure and simple.

This would not be tolerated in any walk of life, so why should Atos be permitted to behave in this manner?

Something needs to be done.

I am hopeful that someone reading this will be in a position to offer some advice and support.

I am very sorry for those who are still fighting Atos.

I understand how they feel and I hope that something can be done to help them.

Thank you for reading this.

If any journalists would like to follow up this story please contact mail@dpac.uk.net

Achieve your Potential or Starve, The Government’s Real Message to Young Disabled People

 All Posts, Atos, Benefits, Disability Rights, DLA, ILF, Independent Living, News, Politics, Welfare reforms  4 Responses »
May 252013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

Any campaign from this Government which claims to support disabled people should be viewed with suspicion and the latest offering from the DWP is no exception.

The department yesterday put out a press release boasting: “Celebrities have joined forces with the government to help launch a campaign aiming to promote positive role models for disabled people.”

This campaign features a youtube channel where 50 videos have been posted which have “been produced with a focus on overcoming barriers”.  Many of these videos are unsurprisingly about disabled people who have high flying careers, such as Dame Anne Begg, or are stories of disabled entrepreneurs.

The accompanying press release includes a gushing quote from Emmerdale actor Kitty McGeever explaining how after becoming disabled it ‘took some time to get back into work’ but she managed it with the help of the Government’s Access To Work scheme.

This scheme provides funding for workplace adaptations, travel or some care needs for disabled people in employment.  The number of people benefiting from Access To Work has plummeted by over a third since this Government weren’t elected showing the true situation for disabled people currently seeking employment.

Whilst this campaign may be a cheap attempt to improve those figures, it comes against a background of savage cuts to benefits, services and housing for disabled people.  It is a campaign run by a government which is declaring hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people to be ‘fit for work’ with the aim of stopping their benefits.  A government which has been only too happy to force sick and disabled claimants onto workfare as part of the Work Programme –  with no public scrutiny of where they are being sent or for how long.  A government that is set to force potentially hundreds of thousands of disabled people from their homes due to the bedroom tax, benefit cap and other measures.

And when Personal Independence Payments (PIP) fully replace Disability Living Allowance, this is a Government which will have slashed completely a vital benefit for 20% of disabled people.

This move alone is likely to mean that over 50% of disabled people are forced to leave work as funding for specialist equipment, care and transport disappears*.

Vast numbers of disabled people are set to be plunged into poverty by these measures, and it is this which reveals the true intentions of this latest DWP run project.  One of the charities involved in the campaign is quoted as saying that the “project is about showing what disabled people can do – not what they can’t”.

This is eerily similar to David Cameron’s line when interviewed shortly after the opening of the Paralympic games when he said: “It’s about the inspiration and it will change people’s minds and that’s what matters. It’ll teach people about what they can do, rather than what they can’t do.”

It is also the line used to justify the benefit-stripping Work Capability Assessment which according to the DWP focuses on “what an individual can do despite their health condition, rather than simply what they can’t.”

Minister for Murdering Disabled People, Esther Mcvey also pops up in this week’s press release, and whilst not quite so explicit, her underlying message is the same:  “young disabled people tell me they want to see more inspiring role models to show where disabled people have achieved their ambitions despite the odds being stacked against them”

For young disabled people the odds are stacked against them like never before due to this Government and in this context the true nature of the DWP’s latest campaign becomes clear.  This is not about providing role models for young disabled people or helping people fulfil their potential or even changing perceptions of disabled people as is claimed.  This Government doesn’t care about any of that.  This campaign is yet more insidious DWP propaganda attempting to give the impression that those plunged into poverty due to the ruthless cuts to disability benefits will only have themselves to blame.  If only they’d learnt to play wheelchair rugby, or been a fucking Dame, then they could afford to put the heating on.

The campaign also has a facebook page which might be a good place to share experiences of what people can no longer do due to the vicious cuts to benefits: https://www.facebook.com/Rolemodelsinspire

Dawn Willis writes well about this kind of narrative: ‘I’m not Stephen Fry, how damaging is that?’ from Dawn

*this figure comes from a survey carried out by Disability Rights UK (DRUK) which reported that 56% of those asked said they would have to leave work if they lost their DLA.  DRUK are notoriously in the pockets of the DWP, with Chief Executive Liz Sayce writing a report which recommended the closure of the Remploy factories.  The survey relating to the number of people likely to leave work due to PIP seems to have disappeared from DRUK’s website, for which there is surely an entirely innocent explanation.

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

With massive thanks to the brilliant Johnny Void for letting us re-post

See more from Johnny at https://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/achieve-your-potential-or-starve/

 

Eviction notice for bedroom tax? Journalist wants to hear from you

 Action, All Posts, Benefits, Welfare reforms  5 Responses »
May 222013
 
DPAC Logo with text underneath "Disabled People Against Cuts" and then web address dpac.uk.net

In response to the bedroom tax, have you received a letter telling you this is your “final demand” or mentioning impending “eviction”? I’d like to share the stories of people – particularly those who have disabled people or children in their family – who have received such letters because of the bedroom tax. Please get in touch on

frances.ryan18@btinternet.com

 Many thanks.

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