Owen Jones: Hatred of those on benefits is dangerously out of control

[paulnolan]

Taking away support can only be achieved by demonising recipients as scroungers in mansions

What does it say about modern Britain when the pre-meditated massacre of six children is described as "an accident waiting to happen" on national television? In the early hours of last Friday, someone poured petrol through the letterbox of the Philpott

Comments

[ellonwye]

I had an ATOS medical assessment a few weeks ago, and it's a complete farce. I haven't been so anxious, humiliated and scared for a long time. Apparently a doctor who I've never met before can deem me fit for work in ten minutes, but both my GP I've been with all my life and my therapist of several months agreed that I was not yet ready for it and that it would be detrimental to my health right now. And do you know what counted against me in the assessment? The fact I turned up alone. You know, nevermind the fact that I turned down people who offered to go with me because I was humiliated that I needed financial assistance for being mentally ill and couldn't bear the shame of someone else being with me while this anonymous doctor asked me irrelevent questions

[paulnolan]

*hugs* if you want them. <3 If it wasn't for a complete fluke (Income Support finally getting back to me about an appeal I won back in August and letting me reopen my Incapacity Benefit claim) I'd be in the exact same boat - I had an Atos assessment due on the 14th, and given that I'm claiming for a mental illness too there's no way I'd have passed. :(

Everything works against you at these things... showing up at all, getting there using public transport, coming alone, sitting in the waiting room, responding when the "doctor" calls your name... it's a fucking disgrace.

Appeal. The more people who appeal and win, the more this mess will hurt the government financially and (hopefully) the more incentive they'll have to scrap it.

[casketscratcher]

This is honestly the way I feel too, now. They don't want to have to think about us any more.

[ljtaylor]

Fight tooth and nail. They're hoping you'll be an easy target, that you'll lie down and take it. Don't. Appeal.

I wish you the best of luck.

[anjak_j]

Ugh. I don't even... *sigh*

I had my form from A*** a few weeks ago, to change over from IS to ESA, and am waiting to see what they have to say about it. I'm totally expecting to be summoned to one of their offices for another one of their so-called "medicals".

I really despise this system too - I also think it is ludicrous that a doctor I've never met could say in ten minutes that I'm fit for work whilst my GP and two specialists say otherwise. That's if your" medical" is conducted by a doctor. And the worst thing is the sly antics they get up to, like making small talk to illicit evidence that you can do things that you've indicated you can't on your form.

I'm totally with paulnolan with this - the more people that appeal the better. I really want it to end up costing the government through their own screw-ups and blind stupidity what they said they'd save by cutting benefits to some of the most needy in society. Hopefully it'll become so damned costly that the government will be forced to abandon this bullshit.

[paulnolan]

Forgot to mention - get Welfare Rights involved (the CAB will put you in contact with them). They're a great help at the appeals.