tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post9011411523681522629..comments2024-03-19T09:53:18.981+00:00Comments on Diary of a Benefit Scrounger: What did that all mean then?Sue Marshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-46937637959400774862012-04-30T09:50:31.635+01:002012-04-30T09:50:31.635+01:00Apart from the studies, the kids need to be profic...Apart from the studies, the kids need to be proficient in extracurricular activities so that it helps in giving them an all round development. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.sisindia.net/" rel="nofollow">IB Residential School</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13299920644015317124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-35169538778604421052012-02-21T12:16:07.867+00:002012-02-21T12:16:07.867+00:00Thanks for this interesting and facts revealing po...Thanks for this interesting and facts revealing post.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hardshipletter.org" rel="nofollow">Hardship letter</a>jaylen watkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11246576951108532477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-90320033032181640522012-02-18T02:22:55.765+00:002012-02-18T02:22:55.765+00:00Will the disabled be forced to wear black triangle...Will the disabled be forced to wear black triangles on their uniforms for their workfare placements like what the Nazis did to the mentally ill amongst others in their concentration camps?<br /><br />See here<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_(badge)<br /><br />Honest questionAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-51226663650475117092012-02-18T01:23:26.605+00:002012-02-18T01:23:26.605+00:00Well, it looks like the power of the net and socia...Well, it looks like the power of the net and social media is having an effect:, consumer power has unnerved corporations using slave labour/workfare and many are now withdrawing or questioning the scheme. it has also been wonderful to see so many young people up in arms about the disgusting nature of these crimes. I think we have many many more allies now than we did a year back..<br /><br />I would suggest that months of protesting, lobbying, of the Govt, etc would not have the same effect, maybe not go for the hydras head but its snake arms...<br /><br />http://www.boycottworkfare.org/<br />.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-46661961621644979232012-02-18T00:49:23.127+00:002012-02-18T00:49:23.127+00:00It looks like we no longer have a Prime Minister, ...It looks like we no longer have a Prime Minister, we have now got a Fuhrer. All hail Fuhrer Cameron!<br /><br />We disabled might have to dust up on our Nazi marches so the Torys don't have us rounded up and gassed like the party they aspire to be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-34212197973124721672012-02-18T00:36:38.903+00:002012-02-18T00:36:38.903+00:00Sue you and kaliya and the team have and will ALWA...Sue you and kaliya and the team have and will ALWAYS gave my deepest gratitude for what you and... lets face it here ...your familys and friends have done and had to sacrifice to help us all and unlike mr bloody anonymous i think i can safely assume that this is what we all feel.<br />I for one will not have if someone comes on here and tries for whatever reason to undermine and belittle any of that.<br />There is only one way to get respect and thats to earn it.You have to talk the talk and walk the walk.You and the other do and thats why you have respect because you and the others have bloody earned it.Take no notice of the naysayers they contribute nothing and gain even less... Enough said i think....sarcboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-29950876313086067982012-02-17T19:52:27.358+00:002012-02-17T19:52:27.358+00:00I am utterly confident that those who matter - DPA...I am utterly confident that those who matter - DPAC, Black Triangle, WTB and all the others, charities included know exactly who I mean by "We". <br /><br />I have always been utterly clear that as a movement we are only as strong as our parts. <br /><br />Anyone who misses that point, has no idea of the work I've done with all of those groups to bring people together, to acknowledge every contribution, to GIVE AWAY the Spartacus Report the day it was launched, to NOT put my name as a lead writer on the report, to ALWAYS encourage others to pull together.<br /><br />If you've read my blog even once, you will know that my "We" refers to everyone. <br /><br />And yes, on a personal note, I risked my security, my finances, my health, my future, my benefits, my identity, everything and I have never, ever asked anyone to give me any acclaim for that. <br /><br />I put my own DLA appeal on hold, my phones are tapped, my children and husband put their lives under scrutiny,I nearly became homeless in the middle of campaigning, I refused to get the treatment I needed, I neglected my friendships, I get emails from people so scary you probably wouldn't believe me. <br /><br />And NEVER - not once, did I take advertising on my site, funding from the many "official sources" that offered. Never did I defend the party I love when they were wrong. Never did I criticise another campaign or feel envy when they achieved success. Why would I? We are all fighting for the same thing. We are all on the same side, every word I've every written confirms that. <br /><br />And NEVER have I said all of this, because I don't want ANYONE using my life as a reason not to do this. <br /><br />But if people want to thank me, here on my own blog for those things - friends who have been here through every painful twist and turn, allies, supporters, donors, colleagues, then I am grateful for it and it helps me to keep doing what I have.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-20660310904565640972012-02-17T19:31:41.979+00:002012-02-17T19:31:41.979+00:00Very poor understanding of parliamentary process, ...Very poor understanding of parliamentary process, MP's are representative of no-one or are you suggesting that disabled people are not 'people' in constituencies?Revd. Neal Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542436308490963201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-66533607524144794012012-02-17T17:45:11.221+00:002012-02-17T17:45:11.221+00:00E petition against Workfare:
http://epetitions.di...E petition against Workfare:<br /><br />http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29356Findlownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-20750100938082378592012-02-17T17:35:23.461+00:002012-02-17T17:35:23.461+00:00E petition against Workfare:
http://epetitions.di...E petition against Workfare:<br /><br />http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29356Findlownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-67975979624848775762012-02-17T16:36:02.072+00:002012-02-17T16:36:02.072+00:00I dont knowm ifany of you saw the panorama program...I dont knowm ifany of you saw the panorama programme called Poor America that has been on over the last few days but it gives us a stark and frightening look at just how it will become here.Do not underestimate the power and influence of US companies such as Unum and those like it as they lobby in this country to gain a bigger and bigger hold on the health insurance market and link this in with Landsleys Health reform fiasco,which by the way on question time Clarke stated that he tried the exact same thing 20 years ago so this is not anything new its just the tory party and thier warped view of society and class ..us at the bottom and them at the top,and its plainly clear this is as much an ideoligical war as it is a struggle against a debt crisis.<br />Who created the debt crisis is obvious and we know it is being used,as much as you wonder if it indeed it was planned,by the torys to once and forever fix the lower classes firmly in thier place.<br />Look at Newt Gingrich in the States who is on record as saying children of the poor should work as assistant janitors mopping floors and cleaning up thier s**t and you know just how international and endemic this attitude to people who are sick or disabled or for one reason or another out of work and OR poor.On that Poor America prog there people living in tent citys in the woods outside Detroit cos thet is no help at all....NOTHING...no healthcare or anything and they are reffered to the tent city by other agencys that cant help...FFS sake is this what we are going to become .IS THIS ALL we are worth in the eyes of the very people we put in power??? WELL we need to rid ourselves of them and thier elitist bullshit and the more we stick together and organise and fight the better.<br />Remember this it is easier to slide downhill than it is to climb and if those at the top are pushing people down then the only option left is to fight back...Fuck tesco and thier ilk..dont use em and let em know WHY you are not going to do so..(the list of workfare companies is on the boycott workfare site) money is power and we may not have very much power individually but together we have more than we think.WE just have to learn that we CAN use itfedupofemallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-43050899809458982912012-02-17T14:09:34.206+00:002012-02-17T14:09:34.206+00:00Right, so all pretence gone, they actually are *ev...Right, so all pretence gone, they actually are *evil* ?http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/16/disabled-unpaid-work-benefit-cuts<br /><br />I wonder about someone like me under this system. I'm healthier than many people reading this blog, but have a lifetime history of mental health problems (OCD/Depression/Anxiety/Borderline etc). Until 6y ago I was in work but it became impossible. Since then I've been through circumstances that would make the sanest person seriously unwell. Despite universal agreement from everyone who's assessed me that I need long term intensive support, I have effectively, on the word of one psychotorturist, been banned from having any therapy on the NHS because it might make me worse), and can't get any assessments because I've been assessed already!<br /><br />So not only can't I get any help other than benefits (thank you, they really have helped) but also now have no-one other than my GP who will certify me, which the government wants to stop). <br /><br />Actually in the meantime I've done a masters and half a phd part time and am within two years I would say of being able to go into a job that allows randomly timetabled functionality. This is conditional on me finishing my PhD. <br /><br />As such, I work but I presume there is no way in hell my situation will be counted as anything other than sitting at home scrounging and I will have to go and work at Tesco, who will be thrilled to have an employee (albeit unpaid) who may or may not turn up, who may wander into traffic on the way in or may just not get off the bus (assuming I managed to get on one), or who may have found themself in another country having *had* to get away (from what, noone knows), who may or may not be able to communicate with anyone, or stare at the shelf all shift or take 8 hours to leave the bathroom even after my shift is done. Meanwhile, all plans out of the window.<br /><br />Of course, my plan for gradually getting through the PhD and into academic research work was discussed with and much approved of when I went on to incapacity benefit. I've pointed this out, but that's apparently irrelevant.<br /><br />And the sad thing is I really *am* one of the lucky ones. I have family and friends who can help, I've got an eventually more or less manageable non-terminal condition (despite various bits of my body not working particularly well, enough that IF I could get a diagnosis (rather than a description of symptoms, because of course we all know without a name it isn't real!) I would qualify on physical grounds, let alone mental), and miracle of miracles I have actually managed to qualify for IB/DLA despite having a largely invisible mental condition and physical symptoms which don't operate on a timetable.<br /><br />So I don't feel I'm particularly badly off. I'm certainly better off than many. Yet *I* find this terrifying to a debilitating degree.<br /><br />What chance has someone got who doesn't have the lucid periods, or who can't quite convince the numpty at ATOS/whoever that just because they can walk a few feet today when they had no choice but to come to the assessment doesn't mean they won't pay for it with 3 weeks of pain and immobility?<br /><br />I suppose it's OK. Working for free at Tesco (which you are of course magically able to do) will no doubt fix everything.<br /><br />Oh, and my PhD - that would be on contemporary forms of slavery and how the state tries to "rescue" people from them.<br /><br />Irony much?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-8882778772165035642012-02-17T10:57:23.698+00:002012-02-17T10:57:23.698+00:00There's a huge backlash against TescoThere's a huge backlash against TescoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-90367951797620612732012-02-17T10:48:15.188+00:002012-02-17T10:48:15.188+00:00What the Guardian report highlights is what I cons...What the Guardian report highlights is what I consider to be the new definition of disability.<br /><br />That is - if you are unfit for work because you have only 6 months left to live - then you are disabled. Everybody else is okay.<br /><br />This means no benefit payouts, no adaptions, no blue badges - the government can save all the money to continually bomb and murder people in other countries too now!<br /><br />proving you are human on this site is becoming pretty impossible tooAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-339867100504673362012-02-17T10:09:58.261+00:002012-02-17T10:09:58.261+00:00Sue, I think this shows that the 99% do have power...Sue, I think this shows that the 99% do have power, and are beginning to realise that. Awful report yesterday on the disabled and "Workfare" or whatever they call it. I suppose at least it is getting in the News. There is so much still to be done, but you have proved how persistence pays off. the establishment cannot ignore the people's voice, however hard they try.<br />Perhaps they never calculated on there being a Sue Marsh. I know you can't do it all yourself, probably you have done too much already, but you have shown what can be done and inspired others. Well done, and thanks for all you do. dave must be so proud.Pam @earwigglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01719896390351879835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-26481572337693562962012-02-17T09:23:14.483+00:002012-02-17T09:23:14.483+00:00Of course many jobs need some coaching and some pe...Of course many jobs need some coaching and some people will need more hand holding than others. Even shelf stacking in a supermarket might involve some such as training how to lift heavy items or use some kind of equipment(if it was something like a fork lift truck)in a warehouse but in general the day to day stuff can be done quickly and doesn't take months. Much is commonsense. Just as talking to the public if you are in the front line should be something natural.<br /><br />Some things can't be taught.<br /><br />Using retail a lot of that has been madeinto something more than it needs to be with all the courses they make employees do(I know, I used to work in retail)I have been a customer too like everyone on here too.<br /><br />When I went around the local supermarket earlier than normal a few days ago, I watched what goes on and it wouldn't take much instruction.<br /><br />Being so early most of the assistants had time to talk to customers and wanted to talk.<br /><br />What's become big business is many of the companies that make their money out of what would be seen as "silly" ideas.<br /><br />Many of the work programmes that the Government have rolled out for those out of work often fall into this category as they often treat you as school children not adults. And the parody of such courses as shown in the tv series the League of Gentlemen is too close for comfort. One of the writers must of been on such a course to have been able to write what he did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-41241454646111096812012-02-17T09:16:06.308+00:002012-02-17T09:16:06.308+00:00" ...the case of a man who was told he was no..." ...the case of a man who was told he was not capable of working...then was reassessed and told that he was and three weeks later he was dead..."<br /><br />that's what they want - can't you see the parralels with the nazis and the gas chambers ....??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-27732816791593211822012-02-17T09:08:23.305+00:002012-02-17T09:08:23.305+00:00actually it's not about what they believe in -...actually it's not about what they believe in - it's aboout them representing the people in their constituencies - I think it's called democracyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-9440576261188657712012-02-17T09:03:54.275+00:002012-02-17T09:03:54.275+00:00what did that all mean?
THIS
http://www.guardian...what did that all mean?<br /><br />THIS<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/16/disabled-unpaid-work-benefit-cuts<br /><br />Welcome to the FASCIST STATE of the UKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-39109582224312616612012-02-17T08:58:59.107+00:002012-02-17T08:58:59.107+00:00Exactly right SpoonyDoc
I know we want fireworks...Exactly right SpoonyDoc <br /><br />I know we want fireworks like I said in the post, but they were NEVER going to happen. Sadly, and utterly predictably, not over the welfare bill.<br /><br />These nuts and bolts I keep going on about really are as important as I try to explain. I'm not just putting a happy spin on it. <br /><br />They WILL ensure that PIP is fairer, but we have to be vigilant to hold them to it all.Sue Marshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849801822216267250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-56955059193561664372012-02-17T07:03:46.310+00:002012-02-17T07:03:46.310+00:00Many good points being made and as mentioned and p...Many good points being made and as mentioned and probably forgotten by most, if you take on people who work for their benefits, it actually alienates those who do work(don't claim)and don't claim because those being paid much less will be taken on. It also is another way around employers having to pay the minimum wage.<br /><br />They are trying to back track on the vacancy featured earlier regarding Tesco's(not sure where or who set that away)but I think I heard that someone at Job Centre Plus has been blamed(is that because the story got out to the wider public?)<br /><br />Its said the idea was that it is temporary, offering training with an interview for a possible job at the end of a certain period.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-5683362400328964382012-02-17T02:26:55.307+00:002012-02-17T02:26:55.307+00:00"Disabled face unlimited unpaid work or cuts ..."Disabled face unlimited unpaid work or cuts in benefit"<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/16/disabled-unpaid-work-benefit-cuts<br /><br />If you are on Twitter here is a list of companies using workfare to ask to leave the scheme.<br />http://www.pint.org.uk/work/<br />Or write to their head office.<br />Or boycott Tesco, Argos, Boots, Asda, Primark ,Topshop, Burton, McDonalds. Hit them where it hurts - money talks. Three million unemployed plus however many disabled is a lot of customers money to lose. This means REAL jobs are not being created for those who can work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-73495830178930176842012-02-17T00:52:38.616+00:002012-02-17T00:52:38.616+00:00Here is the website on workfare...www.boycottworkf...Here is the website on workfare...www.boycottworkfare.org.<br />Seems this little govt wheeze aint going as well as the bullingdon bullys think.....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-43927269718552488792012-02-17T00:07:19.102+00:002012-02-17T00:07:19.102+00:00This govt is a bunch of lying bastards who will ge...This govt is a bunch of lying bastards who will get away with anything they want if we let them.We didnt see this in the lords debate as far as i know so maybe its schadenefruads revenge and it was held back from any debate as they knew it would not help thier case.<br />Of course big companys are going to use people on workfare schemes as much as possible to reduce thier wage bill and the govt will encourage them to do so and take the donations to thier coffers from these bastards.<br />But just how the sick/disabled are suppossed to cope with this bollocks is beyond me but nobody in govt cares about that.Its all spin to take away attention from thier failings on the economy.<br />Of course the daily jail readers will snort and spit that all sick/disabled are fuckin cheating bastards and should be made to work for notthing and flogged in the street (Rod Liddle etc etc)or marched off to the new a4444e g44444 workhouses for life...Dont laugh you never know with these guffawing bullingdon nazis.<br />Their latest wheeze is the new apprenticeship schemes for young adults which the above sort of job is advertised as elsewhere only its dressed up as precisely that a modern apprenticeship...the only difference is the job i have seen is for a warehouse coordinator and its for 2.60 an hour (open to other age groups too besides 16 to 20 yrs) so again far below the LEGALLLY set mimimum wage and allowed because its a modern apprenticeship....yeah right...legally mandated slave labour and remember this job is NOT dependent on the applicant being on jsa to be elligible to apply its a so called proper job.SO there is the direction this govt wants to take us right there..cheap disposable labour at the most basic level.Even tonight on newsnight there was some gobshite from the Policy Unit spouting how MOST people on sickness benefits were in fact not sick and able to work so this is the sort of think tank that dictates govt policy and its put out on such programmes and bolsteres it up with he emotive phrase that it is right that people on benefits should work for them as after 1 year they...and i quote here...go rusty and have a large gap in thier cv...THIS is how they use the bbc to brief out this bloody rubbish and now we know this was always thier plan.NOBODY IS and never was genuinley sick/disabled because they say so and according to these think tankers 80 percent of people agree....THERE you have it official government policy leaked out by way of a slot on newsnight.......NOW do you all see why i said we should have our own union....or election candidates.THis fight is not a fight it is a war and we are in grave danger..ALL OF US..sarcboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4568034298343558962.post-29637291400078116102012-02-16T23:27:47.621+00:002012-02-16T23:27:47.621+00:00There's the truth...
Lets have people work fo...There's the truth...<br /><br />Lets have people work for even less than the minimum wage and why would a company want to pay full wages if they can have people coming in for good or temporary for so little in the way of cash?<br /><br />They obviously need the extra help or if they don't they'll take the help if its offered.<br />They'll say well, its to give the applicant skills and to do something for their benefit...yeah, right!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com