Stop Bullying Disabled Claimants, Says PCS

The union representing workers in the benefits system says reports that the vast majority of disabled claimants are fit for work should not be trusted.

It should also be noted that despite the media hype about jobs, the reality is that there are over 2.5 million unemployed and less than 500,000 vacancies. Further, very few employers would employ a disabled person who can only work 3 to 4 hours per day; and on some days, not at all.

The result would be that they would be sacked for lack of compitency and then be placed on the dole - alot leeser rate of support than they need and would get on invalidity benefit. But this callous Con-Dem(ned) coalition government woukld be pelased as the figures for disability benefit will decrease.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) which has thousands of members in the Department for Work and Pensions says the tests for claimants fail to address many serious health issues.

A House of Commons select committee report into incapacity benefit re-assessment – published on 13 July – said: “Our central conclusion is that the assessment process, as it is designed at the moment, does not accurately assess claimants' employability and needs in the workplace.”

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said:

“This exercise is just about saving money by bullying people who are sick or disabled onto lower levels of benefit.

It is not about finding people work – because there is no work available. The government is failing to create jobs, while cutting thousands of posts in the public sector.

The government has given £100 million to a private health care company to do these flawed assessments – instead of using the health service which is already there and trusted by the public.“

He concluded:

“The government have set up a system that demonises disabled people and will encourage bullying and hate crimes.
Disabled people need more support – not less – to lead independent lives, including working lives.”

PCS has produced a booklet: 'Welfare - an alternative vision' which has a chapter on disability benefit. Use the above link or click on the pic to download the booklet.

ATOS, the company that receives £100m a year from the Government for assessing who should be cut off from disability benefit have struck 'fear and loathing' into the hearts of the disabled, with this example of base cruel treatment:

Larry Newman, forced to attend an ATOS interview with a terminal lung disease, when he could hardly breathe. So he took his medical records and ATOS ignored them, preferring their method of asking questions.

They decided there was nothing wrong with him so his benefit was cut, and a few weeks later, as the hospital attached a ventilator he'd have to wear permanently, with splendid joviality he said to his wife: "Still, at least I'm fit for work."

He died a few weeks later!

Such is the concern at the fact that over 39% of claimants appealing have won their cases, that MPs have expressed concern at the manner in which ATOS is conducting its assessment on 11,000 disability claimants each week.

In addition to that, the recent suicide figures show an increase as people struggle with the loss of employment and benefits and support.

See also: Incapacity Benefit Tests Designed To Save Money Not Help Disabled

Source: PCS / Independent

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