IDS reckons he could live on £53 a week. Currently on £1581 a week.

[brianthedog]

The use of incapacity benefits to disguise unemployment figures was introduced by the Thatcher administration,and thet encouraged the proliferation of the scheme.Now the conservatives have withdrawn their support and are using ATOS to weed out the undeserving.They identified 1300 people to be fit for work who subsequently died of their complaint,so they are not too clever at their role.

 

So these 1300 deaths are directly related to being found fit to work? Or 1300 people who were found fit for some level of work have subsequently died?

[MrSmith]

Sorry - I was wrong. It's 900,000 people... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9963012/900000-choose-to-come-off-sickness-benefit-ahead-of-tests.html

 

Of course he didn't think this up by himself. Departments such as the DWP have researchers who look for areas such as this before presenting them to the minister as a proposal.

 

Why "the ATOS wheeze"?

 

I know one lazy sod that has been scrounging for years that decided to come off incapacity benefit before he was found out.

[mikem8634]

 

Why "the ATOS wheeze"?

 

I have previously posted the following on another thread in relation to ATOS.

 

Have you done any research into ATOS and its methodology? It doesn't sound like you have so, if you would like to inform your opinion, you could start with the Panorama documentary Disabled or Faking it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01lldrc/Panorama_Disabled_or_Faking_It/

 

or the Dispatches episode Who's Cheating Who?

 

 

 

 

Below I have highlighted several individuals and organisations who have not been negatively assessed by ATOS but do question their methodology.

 

The performance of Atos Healthcare in the UK in respect of Work Capability Assessment (WCA) has been criticised by the Commons Select Committee for Work and Pensions, by individual MPs . It is also frequently criticised by the press, as well as by advocacy groups such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, disabled people's organisations and individual disabled people.Professor Paul Gregg, one of the designers of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), has stated that the WCA is "badly malfunctioning", concluding that, "the current assessment is a complete mess." Professor Malcolm Harrington, asked by the Government to carry out the independent review of the WCA, concluded in 2012 that there were "certainly areas where it's still not working."

 

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), with responsibility for ESA decision-making, was reported in 2011 to have by far the highest number of decisions overturned at appeal of any UK Department of State. According to the Department of Work and Pensions' own statistics, approximately 38% of all appeals against ESA eligibility decisions are successful (rising to approximately 70% when advocacy groups are involved). This equates to around 9% of all ESA decisions.

 

In 2012 43 complaints were being investigated against Atos doctors and nurses, by the General Medical Council or Nursing & Midwifery Council.

 

Particular criticism has been directed at Atos over the ability of its staff to deal with complex mental health issues and patients with varying conditions. Doctors receive eight days of training in disability before being allowed to assess patients and nurses receive a seventeen day training course accredited by the University of Derby. In August 2012, Atos Healthcare claimed they had appointed 60 Mental Function Champions to provide additional training.

 

A very common complaint is the refusal of the assessors to make eye contact. Assessors have found patients with terminal cancer or severe multiple sclerosis to be fit for work.

 

In an article for the BMJ, a doctor attended an Atos recruitment seminar and then detailed her experience. She concluded that she did not feel it was possible for a doctor to work as an Atos assessor and simultaneously adhere to their professional responsibility to place the needs of the patient first at all times. In response to a comment by a reader of the article that Atos doctors did not owe claimants their normal duty of care, the Standards and Fitness to Practise Directorate of the General Medical Council issued guidance that Atos assessments are indeed a doctor-patient interaction and that doctors have to make the interests of their patients their first concern at all times, closing the guidance with a reminder that "Being open and honest and acting with integrity is also an essential part of medical professionalism." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atos (all links can be checked and verified at webpage).

[WeX]

He didn't lie.

The telegraph pointed out he was telling porkies because the guy is on something like 600 quid a month. But that's not AFTER costs that's before so he may well have 53 quid.

 

Then again the Telegraph has it's agenda, which is right leaning. These stories get put out to discredit and stop people fighting hypicrosy and challenging authority systems.

 

The fact still remains IDS said he could live on £53 a week. Many people have to do that, so let's see him put his money where his mouth is.

 

He said to IDS he lived off £53 per week. That was untrue, he has £53 per week left after bills, rent etc. IDS also didn't hear the challenge, he wasnt given any time to think either, as soon as he came on air, he was hit with that figure.

 

plus, I don't believe this guy only earns £2,700 a year for working 50-70 hours a week, but if he does, he chooses to do that job. Even working in McDonalds would give him the minimum wage!

[gnvqsos]

So these 1300 deaths are directly related to being found fit to work? Or 1300 people who were found fit for some level of work have subsequently died?

 

Read the submission on Wiki,and then you will be able to address all the issues you have.

[brianthedog]

Read the submission on Wiki,and then you will be able to address all the issues you have.

 

This is the article the wiki page references; http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/17/atos-attack-emotional-commons-debate. This doesn't really answer whether the 1300 deaths arose from being forced to start looking for work or as a result of the illnesses.

 

Sadly, I've known people with terminal cancer who have continued to work throughout their illness and through to their death. While every case such as this differs (and is very difficult to broach subjectively/unemotively), I don't see why cancer or other serious illnesses are automatically considered as a barrier to employment.

[gnvqsos]

This is the article the wiki page references; http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/17/atos-attack-emotional-commons-debate. This doesn't really answer whether the 1300 deaths arose from being forced to start looking for work or as a result of the illnesses.

 

Sadly, I've known people with terminal cancer who have continued to work throughout their illness and through to their death. While every case such as this differs (and is very difficult to broach subjectively/unemotively), I don't see why cancer or other serious illnesses are automatically considered as a barrier to employment.

 

Much will depend on the nature of their work-I imagine you have never worked in a physically demanding manner such as construction work where optimum fitness is a must.

[Supertramp]

[/b]

 

Much will depend on the nature of their work-I imagine you have never worked in a physically demanding manner such as construction work where optimum fitness is a must.

 

Yes but they can move on to JSA and try to find work in an office or working from home.

[horribleblob]

The petition linked to in the OP, is now up to 40 000 signatures. Please sign and share.

 

Currently 414,597 in just four days. (It went up by over 100 in the time it took me to type this.)

[brianthedog]

[/b]

 

Much will depend on the nature of their work-I imagine you have never worked in a physically demanding manner such as construction work where optimum fitness is a must.

 

I have previously, although I don't anymore. And I completely agree that physically demanding work is different to most retail/clerical type positions. However, someone being considered "fit to work" isn't black or white - they could be fit to work but only with reasonable adjustments.