Benefits to be tied to treatment compliance

[OP8S]

I vaguely remember the thread from when I first started posting here. Didn't get a very good impression of the fellow & so looked at other posts that he made, which confirmed my first impressions. Don't know if he was banned, but there is nobody posting anything similar to what his views were. Maybe he's switched over to the wiredin crew, or gone back into his highly paid profession in IT. Doesn't seem to be a miss. I hope he's not working in the drug treatment sector now, though it wouldn't surprise me if it was a "charitable" DSP.

[skroe]

Hi, Hope everyone is well, I'm O.K. Well a bit worried in fact, I just thought I'd reply to this as I've been sent a form a ESA50, I'm very worried in fact, my Health is not the best TBH at the moment, I think some of the Regulars Know that I suffer from arthritis, Which is getting worse, some days are not as bad, but still painful, Then some days are really bad. For instance I wake up some days and I cannot move the pain and stiffness in my back, hips, knees, ankles, even fingers is incredible, Its like my joints have fused together in the Night, When your there laying there trying to move with a full bladder, its very worrying. I've had an accident before so its embarrassing too. I have to use a walking stick, and now use taxi as I dont drive, and rely on family with help with shopping, and order shopping on line too, Even simple tasks such as ironing is painful, I'm truly gutted cause I've had to stop painting graffiti, I cannot do it no more, Its so frustrating. Esp after 25+ years on and off, I got a name for my self in the subculture. Also I owe it to graffiti, I wanted to get back in to painting graff instead of using gear..
I still paint on canvas, I've been painting some large canvases to small ones, I've just completed a large painting that took me over 8 or more months, but even painting canvases becomes hard some days.
I have psoriasis on most of my legs, back, arms, plus it effects my nails like pitting in my nails in my hand, but my thumb nails grow so hard, esp my toe nails. It looks horrid as the nails become so thick discoloured and hard,  ( that I have to use a hand saw to cut them down)which is also embarrassing, not just to look at but with all the skin that falls off you, I'm diabetic, also I've got Edema Swelling everywhere, legs, feet, most parts of my body is swollen, I've a lot of anxiety panic attacks, social anxiety, blushing, I'm on a lot of different med's for other problems too.
Sorry to go on I don't mean to hijack the thread with my health details,
Anyway, I'm truly worried about that French company ATOS, who are taking over the work of the DWP. The form I have must be filled by myself, I always went to a place in Cardiff that helped fill out forms for you, Being dyslexic also helps.   
I've heard but nothing of bad news about this company that gets paid by the Government, Including a bonus for everybody found fit and taken off benefits.
With the likes of the Daily mail, express, reporting that 90 percent of people that are on sickness benefits are cheating the system, there fingers are from the amount of fingers that atos Have found people fit and taken of benefits.
I makes you feel a fraud hearing the word scroungers and all the other shit they say..
Its crazy, they will take you off benefits if you tell them you watch TV, or used public transport  There a lot of tricks they use at medicals like making you wait for over half hour, In that time they can find you fit and take you off benefits, because you may of sat down, or stood for half hour waiting for them to test you.
Yeah there's people taking the piss out of the system, put no where near as much as what the right wing press make you believe, Infact housing benefits are more abused, Also what about the rich with offshore bank accounts and getting past paying taxes via loopholes, These same type of rich that give a political party/mp's a bit of cash with a wink and a nod, and a golden handshake. These same MPs etc having "lunch or dinners" with the likes of the head of newspapers, don't tell me that its all legit.
Sorry its just gets me Angry, these F*ckers in power are the most corrupt bastards going. 
I'm really worried about what ATOS will do, regarding these new types of benefits rolled out to people..Esp people that are even more worse off than me, or have mental illnesses, and those with low I.Q's, is there some sort of safety net to protect these people? 

[OP8S]

F*&k ME Skroe, not being on benefits & working I have never heard that the DWP has been put out to tender...& a foriegn country to get the contract. It stinks of corruption to high heaven. Sorry to hear you're health ain't too good to say the least but in reply to your question, could you not get help from the dyslexia society with your form filling ? Think there number would be in the phone book, not sure if you would be classed as a vulnerable adult but there is the Vulnerable Adult Protection Scheme...in Scotland anyway. How do you get on with your community GP ? Might be worth asking him if he could spare some time to help you fill in the form, or even a community nurse.
Fuckin Tories are going to screw this country good & proper, won't be long before we're The U.K Ltd. the sneaky bastards are privatising everything.
Anyway that's just a couple of suggestions of the top of my head, I'll try & look into it more when I get to work. My job involves a lot of form filling for vulnerable adults, mostly people with disabilities or low IQs.
Take Care.

[sapphire]

Where I live they have been using ATOS for years to check out people who say they are ill to make sure they are.

My ex was on IB and had to have a "check", the woman who did it could hardly speak English and could not understand the names of the meds he was on or the names of the conditions he had (I went in with him).

He git his benefit stopped but appealed and got it back, as he was genuinely ill.

Skroe - as you are genuinely ill don't worry too much, they do these medical type checks to weed out the "bad back" type people.

The Daily Mail thing about 90% of claimants was a load of shit, it was about NEW claimants, not existing ones having medicals.
Most of the 90% actually got better, as they were having operations and the like and needed IB for a few weeks until they could sign on again.

So, I know it's easy to say, but try not to worry.

Even if they do "fail" you on the medical, if you say you want to appeal they cannot stop your benefit and as you are genuinely ill I am sure you will be fine.

[Jimmy]

When I appealed after having my IB stopped following a medical, I had to live on emergency income support of £40 per week until after my successful 'hearing' 6 months later. However, this was a number of years ago and the process may have changed. Do try not to worry, those whose sickness is genuine almost always get their benefits returned on appeal. By the sounds of it, you may not get then stopped in the first place - but don't rely on it.

All the best
Jimmy

[skroe]

Thank you for you kind and helpful responses to my worry's, OP8S, Cheers mate, some really good suggestions there deffo, I got the Number of a place, called http://www.innovate-trust.org.uk/

I'll have to phone Monday now, Regarding help with forms and alike, They have close connections with the C.A.U. that I'm scripted with. Thanks so much, I'll be certainly seeking some info from your suggestions, I did speak to my Doctor who scripts my Methadone, When I seen him the other day. He Felt ATOS should be reprimanded due to there bad practices and the amount of shit and stress they've caused genuinely sick people. I'll try Innovate to see if they can help, I think they can visit you too, at your home. I'll have to find out Monday.. But you suggestion are great, deffo will keep them options open to me..Again thanks so much.

Thanks Sapphire, Its reinsuring To read your reply too, With The Cardiff Law centre, They told me that they could help me all the way if I have to appeal, Just they where not allowed to help with the forms from ATOS, They helped me with my claim originality Just found it worrying that they couldn't with that form.
My Family tell me not to worry too, I cant help it its in my nature lol, I just wind myself up so much at times.
The forms don't have to be in until the 22nd sept, so that gives me chance to see my own Doctor, thats a tall order in its self..lol..but got a appointment with him for sept 1st.
I know you've had a few problems with pain etc, I hope things improve for you. Thanks...

Again Thanks Jimmy, I was under the impression that they could stop all your money so you had to sign on to JSA just for money, by doing so trapping you and ruining your chances to prove your illnesses and therefore getting you off their books so to speak.
Like you said things may of improved.
I think what worry s me is, that they make you think your some kind of fraud or not ill so you dought your self and give up. I hate being like this!!
But I'm more chilled about it now, As you all say you can fight them, and people that are sick will win there appeals, If it comes to that with me.
Thank you all.
Spk soon
Take care..

[sapphire]

Skroe - word of warning.

If they do knock you back, do NOT sign on for JSA. If you do this you are legally signing that you are fit for work and will therefore have no chance at appeal.

They do not tell you this though!! They have to give you some kind of Income Support whilst the appeal goes through.

[froude]

Skroe i wouldnt worry mate ,ive been on Income Support and Disability Living Allowance for years now and what your going on about is the people who take the piss out of the system,not people like me and you who have not only Mental Health problems but also physical problems aswell.I also suffer arthritis ,in my knee,i should have a knee replacement but im classed to young at 41 plus i have a dodgy left arm(cant pick up a kettle)so im limited all the way down my left side and im left handed aswell.All this shit coming from are government is aimed at people who are blagging the system but it is also worrying to people like us as we are hearing it aswell.Your doctor knows how bad you are and also knows your not a blagger and they write or ring him for input in your condition,as for the form you can get your doctor,Key worker to fill it in,i always give anything (forms)to my Mental Health Team to fill in ,they dont mind,well they dont seem to.Put a letter in with it explaining why someone else has had to fill the form in for you.I know this country is going to the dogs,i dont think that any government Agencys talk to each other,they just have their own agenda,that fucks up the country.A thought has just come to me ,maybe Atos want you to fill the form in so they can actually see what problems you have got.We all know who and why this is happening and it is because to many people have been in the papers/TV lately getting caught cheating the benefits,and it is people like me and you Skroe who get all anxious and worrywhen we really shouldnt have to as we are the ones who are actually telling the truth and not living with lies,all the best Froude

[usandthem]

That would be like probation rather than being in care for treatment. The shared care treatment programmes are getting more and more like probation on every appointment. I used to be on probation and I cant differentiate between probation and shared care with over supervisory and unqualified keyworkers pressuring you into reductions, filling out cover their arse kwango paperwork and asking me to give numbers to how well I have come down the road to being methadone free and in a full time job..and docs that never sign the prescriptions on the day you are supposed to collect your methadone. As it states at the very top of the famous NTA orange guidlines on methadone maintenance: drug misusers in treatment are to be treated with the same rights as any other NHS patient. All maintenance care, referrals, intervention programmes offered by the dsp keyworker has to be agreed fully by the servise user.

[froude]

When i was released from Prison way back in 2004 my Probation Officer was going down the lines of wanting to know everything about my time with my local D.S.P,by the time my tag was off and Probation was coming to an end my Probation Officer thought she knew everything about Heroin and the effects it was having or did have in my life,at the end of the day she knew nothing same as all the rest.She couldnt get her head around the fact that i had asked the Crown Court Judge to give me Prison time as i didnt want to go on any course because drugs were more available on the course ,so i told him to bang me up, when he had already said i was as  good as on a Drug rehab course,just had to go back to Prison so i could have reports done.Probation Officers are the same as Social Workers too fucking nosey.Have a good weekend,All the best Froude