DWP limbo: We ask Job Centres ‘How low will you go’?
It is as if staff at the Department for Work and Pensions were trying to commit vocational suicide, in pale emulation of the lengths to which they drive their ‘customers’.
Following on from yesterday’s article on the DWP’s sickening response to the latest Freedom of Information request on incapacity claimant deaths come two accounts of the heartlessness of the Department’s staff.
The first is from our old friend Pride’s Purge, and concerns a letter from the DWP to a woman who suffers with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.
It states, in very poor English: “On whether you have contributed to your medical condition. We have now decided that you did contribute to your medical condition.”
This is physically impossible and DWP staff, who are not medically qualified, had no right to suggest otherwise. The lady’s boyfriend was so enraged by the incident that he posted the letter on Facebook and you can see it below.
The second is from the Blue Annoyed blog, and runs as follows:
“A sick and disabled man attend[ed] Newcastle JCP to use the phones to make an enquiry when he was attacked by [a] G4S guard for using his mobile when they refused his request… The JCPs are now removing telephones.
“It is now policy that you are intimidated BY G4S security to turn off your mobiles after many used them to film maladministration of JCP staff.
“At the time of writing this blog a complaint has gone in to the manager of this JCP and the police have been informed.”
There’s more, but you should go to Blue Annoyed to read it.
It seems the gentleman involved had previously been made homeless, and his story had appeared in the New Statesman.
He made a video of the attack, using his mobile, which you can see here.
If anyone tells you that benefit claimants get what they deserve, show them this article.
Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
Buy Vox Political books and help us
expose DWP abuse of claimants!
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
You can make a one-off donation here:
Do you have a Facebook link so I can share the original post from the lady’s boyfriend?
Here’s the link but Facebook is telling me the content is unavailable:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152365227298787&set=a.10150092440523787.276755.517748786&type=1
It was posted by a Chris Nelson, but I haven’t got the time to trawl through all the Chris Nelsons on there. I’m wary of sharing it until it’s been verified.
Cheers, looks like they’ve pulled it. I’ve shared this blog post instead.
I’m not surprised some links are not available, the date on tom pride’s article is 10th January!
I think the thread keeps getting woken up by a posting virus.
I’m usually good at catching these out-of-date things; however, the story is as relevant now as it was then, and it is doing the rounds again today.
My Adviser threatened to mandate that I have credit on my phone..put it in writing! I was also asked to produce screen shots of my UJM,fine,where is the IAD and Printer? Be polite,but be informed!
jray, link to a excellent site, that covers everything to do with sanctions.
http://refuted.org.uk/sanctions/
For an hilarious twist on the DWP madness theme, check this out: http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/ann-widdecombe/496071/Ann-Widdecombe-on-punished-Christians-Arab-Spring-and-pensioner-care
It seems that even Tories can get upset about the DWP if it’s ‘one of us’ that gets on the wrong end of their petty vindictiveness.
They don’t like it up ’em!
Mike you may be interested in this, on a similar theme:-
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/2865-coalition-wages-war-on-disabled-with-580-increase-in-esa-sanction
Very often these cases fizzle out with the wider public hearing no more details.
Can anyone provide a sound legal analysis on the rights of a member of the public filming inside Jobcentres – and also on how far the security personnel are allowed to go in preventing such filming?
Keep us up-to-date on this case, Mike.
How could they send this letter, are they doctors now or just believe they are. This is just beyond belief. Is it now DWP job to eradicate the sick and disabled. Genocide not fit for purpose
That is a bit below the belt saying that she contributed to her illness, fact that I had to look it up and it states that it is a primary cancer that has no known origin is clear to me that the DWP are scraping the barrel with excuses.
The DWP in my opinion can be chased for an explanation to how they arrived at their decision given that they are neither qualified medics or qualified to determine the origin of such a cancer and who is to blame. That is really out of order.