The new assesments ..... wondering what will happen .

[pottypam]

I as yet have not had one of the new assesments for Disability . I was actually signed as being unable to work some 15 years ago . mainly then due to my hands but my back was a also a factor , that was before my hip ops, dislocations, PEs lung damage from cancer (cured now )and before they said about my spinal and cervical stenosis and spurs .But after watching that programme the other day ,I worry and I think we all worry what if now with the really rubbish test they decide I can work, .... I am not against working and would love too well a bit but know would not be able to go , stay or manage for more then a few mins every day , if that .

And as a sub issue Why the hell are the goverment paying a FRENCH company to do the assesemnts to the tune of 150 million. surey there is an British company that can do it . ........ or are they friends of someone in gov.. I wonder .

[Philip]

Hi,

As well as all the good advice you can get on here there is a really good website you can get tons of advice and help for your benefits, this is at benefitsandwork.co.uk. You join the site for an annual fee but very well worth it, there are answers to your questions about the French company ATOS, nobody likes them lol , did you see the programmes about disabled claiming benefits and the dodgy works test.

Philip

[bub124]

I belong to benefitsandwork too and they are great. I've been signed off for about the same time and have just had my assessment. Thankfully I haven't had to attend a medical but I was assessed on my questionnaire. When I got the report, it said I suffered from significant joint damage and disability BUT I would be able return to work in 2 years so I was still put in the Work Related Activity Group! I have appealed as how can they say I will be fit for work for two years when I have an aggressive, degenerative disease with joint damage that is getting worse all the time? I'm going to be worse in 2 years, not better

My hubby was talking to someone from SCOPE the other day and he said that it's scandalous what they're doing. He said he has people in his back-to-work groups who no way should be working but they failed the assessment.

When you do get your questionnaire, make sure you fill it in as your very very worst day. It's ironic when you think we spend our lives telling everyone we're ok and trying to muddle through as best we can and then, it seems, we're penalised for it.

And where exactly are these jobs?????

[pottypam]

Hi Bub , I will join the benefitsand work thing it does seem good to know sll these things , I did the little self assement and got 25 point for the care part and 18 for the mobility , so SHOULD get what I get now , but who knows until gdt the actual form .And you so right , have spent years telling people am fine just"tired " not aranging any appt for a morning as know will take about an hour or more to get ready to go out ,more if daughter not here to help, and can not bath or shower if she not here and have ot settle for a bodywash,,, not good but ok .someonehas to fillin the form ascannot hold a pen properly or long enough and this typing lark lol afraid i just lt the spelling go .

Watching the programme the other day I could not believe how they were saying people had no points . and some so sad . They put peopel in the working group even if they know they will not get jobs because they pay less to people who are looking for jobs than to us who have disability , it just away to to stop paying out to us even though we need that extra money and deserve it . That is how thy are going ot save money , by craftily paying us less even thogh they know we will never get or be able to keep a job. so making out lives worse and making us the "unclean" of the western world instead of helping us and making sure we are cared for and fed and able to cope with our horrid health they are making us the outcasts ,,, they will be putting us in workhouses again soon. regardless and calling them care homes .!!!!!!or care in the comunity . What happens if one day ,(but prob be loads of days ) to ill ,to much pain ,to sign on, you lose what benifit you do get then what ... painc fear and stress kick in . that is going o make us feel so much better don't you think, ... not .

[Dancingqueen]

I am to attend an interview tomorrow at our job centre. I am trying to go with an open mind to see if there is any help out there? I have RA & have had leukaemia which left me with all sorts of medical problems.I am registered disabled & feel we are being made to pay for the state of our economy. Why haven't the bankers? My GP has even said this governments approach is immoral. We are being made to feel guilty & like scroungers for seeking desperately needed help. I think we are returning to that "workhouse" mentality. Where are all these jobs supposed to come from ? Its enough trying to cope with ill health as it is without all the stress this pressure brings. Pottypam I know where you are coming from.

[pottypam]

Think how much money they will save by saying we can work .Wewill have to manage on unemployment ben as there are no jobs for us to do that we can do .Employers are going to take the fit healthy ones not people who take time off in pain.and there not enough jobs for them, so what are we to do. Crawl in a corner and be invisible

They started these benifits because they knew we needed them but now to bailout the people with the money we can go without .THey know that it less than 1% that claiming fraudulantly ,but taking another 40/50% off if they can . so they will suffer badly , it is so wrong ....