To all you heavy breathers out there, and listening to your comments (and my feelings to!) I have started a petition up to get the DWP to be more responsible. The petition is below.
PLEASE SIGN & PASS ONTO YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS
We need a lot of signatures to get the government to act....Like every marathon it starts with the first step !!! and I've just taken it so please don't let me down !! Show me your support to help thousands of struggling frustrated people
PETITION
For the "Department of Works & Pensions to Set time scales for handling DWP & PIP Claims"
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:
change.org/en-GB/petitions/...
Here's why it's important:
It would appear that since the Government changed the policies and welfare reform system, the main people it is affecting is the vulnerable people in poor health, and yes I appreciate that there is an element of individuals out there have been caught abusing the system, but it has no bearing on the vulnerable people who are struggling and need help IMMEDIATELY.
The government put performance time scales on almost everything, how long you wait for an appointment at your doctors, how long before you see a consultant, how long before you wait for treatment etc, but when it comes to the Department of Work & Pensions, (DWP) and Personal Independent Living Policy, (PIP), it appears that those departments can just ‘plod on’ at their own leisure, leaving the applicants, who are generally in poor health, in dire and serious consequences as a result. Whilst the DWP decide what to do. A lot of the applicants have serious health and welfare issues, some, with debilitating conditions and terminal illnesses.
Waiting for your application to be processed has no timescale attached, and even if you have to wait for 6 months, which is a relatively quick response and far from the norm, it may not seem to be a major issue to the people processing the claim, but it is no fun if your suffering whilst the DWP is pondering on a decision. Once a decision has been made, a HIGH % of decisions are appealed against, due to the Governments inept attempts of saving money.
Claimants have to wait for their Court of Appeal to be heard, which due to the increased backlog of appeals can be a considerable amount of time. Waiting on a decision that effects their everyday living and circumstances.
I propose that the Government, namely the DWP should set time scales for each case to be resolved, within 6 months of application and should claims go to an appeal, that appeal should be heard and resolved within 6 months of the appeal being submitted. Although 6 months may not seem long for the average person, but if you are disabled or terminally ill, 6 months is a precious amount of time to wait and it is time people with deteriorating health can ill afford to lose?
So please join me in my petition to ask the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP,) ‘THAT IT IS ABOUT TIME’, they got their act together and sorted out the system once and for all, and to be responsible, like all other agencies to resolve issues within a certain timeframe window– thank you for your support.
You can sign my petition by clicking here.
Thanks!
owen jackson