Originally posted by fakedirt
reply to post by teapot
two close friends of mine are disabled. one physically and the other mentally. i am in daily contact with both of them. both guys struggle with the most simple of tasks and have near zero capacity for any form of work experience. my wife is disabled and i take the tasks on that she cannot. when atos took over the assessments for disability benefits, she was called in for examination accompanied by her mother. that examination put her on her back for at least a fortnight and then she received a letter stating she no longer qualified for assistance. they had no idea whatsoever! to say i was pissed off is an understatement. when the next assessments come around i will be present taking notes on this firm whilst the assessment is underway. the people i know who have been through these examinations have been for the most part left distressed and borderline suicidal. this system needs a compassion injection before i label it not fit for purpose. i appreciate the gubbermint needs to lower the benefits burden, however treating people like cattle through tendered-out private company assessments is very unnerving as these companies are paid by results and i translate that to mean reduction of numbers on benefits.
mr cameron and co are doing an excellent job in stigmatising the vunerable and bending the perception that those on benefits are sponging. there are vunerable people out there, i know quite a few. there are also those out there who are riding the system and they should be dealt with.
regarding the jsa plus expenses work experience program. chris grayling on saturdays bbc4 radio interview stressed that all these efforts to embed work experience into jobseekers was voluntary. if the individual pulled out after accepting the program, a limited action against them would be mandated.
personally i do hope these companies raking in vast revenues and using the system to increase profits are all audited to the highest standards possible. we need gurus with prevoyance who understand that what is required is the need for skills beyond shelf stacking and waiting tables. take a look at the german model. they are technically superior in many ways when it comes to manufacturing and retention of work. what happened england?
f
It would be worth your while joining benefit and works they have a lot of good informaiton on their. I know people complain about them charging but lets face it who is there out their who will tell anyone about what is going on.
Also if would be a good idea if you could google and sign Pat's Petition they have an epetition on the first page of the government web site which has now over 36,000 signatures asking the Government to look again at the cuts to benefits and services. If nothing else the more that sign it may put some pressure on the Government.
As for the workfare aspect I believe they have just back tracked a bit for young workers but it is still in place for other people unemployed if they have been unemployed for a while or they are disabled. However people in work need not be so sanguine about workfare because soon it will be your job that will be effected.
Holland and Barretts shops are nearly all staffed by workfare. They are wanting to bring work fare into hospitals -
eoin-clarke.blogspot.co.uk...
Many back office in the police services are being taken over by private contractors. Wouldn't be surprised if they also end up using people on workfare and they they will start moving to those on the front line. They are basicaly going after as many jobs as they can to bring the wages down, Soon the whole country will be on the dole and be working for peanuts.
edit on 15-5-2012 by keldas because: correction
