No justice for man the Tory-run DWP said wasn’t sick enough for PIP
Dave Smith with his (now late) brother Jamie Oliver. After denying him PIP twice, the DWP wanted him to attend an appeal hearing – five months after he died.
Remember Jamie Oliver, who the Tory government said wasn’t sick enough for PIP, right before he died?
It seems the Tories would rather you forgot about him – they have cancelled a petition to get justice for him, by calling the general election.
Mr Oliver died on April 9 after a long battle with chronic liver disease – and after being refused Personal Independence Payment by the DWP on the grounds that he wasn’t sick enough – twice.
Five months after his death, in one of the hugely distressing and insulting cock-ups that have made the DWP infamous, one of Mr Oliver’s children discovered a letter saying an appeal hearing had been arranged for late September.
The situation infuriated Mr Oliver’s brother, Dave Smith, who stated that “one of the last things he said to us [was] “I don’t believe it. I’m going to die and I’m still not sick enough for PIP.”
Mr Smith said: “I honestly cannot think of an organization as shambolic, insensitive, incompetent and unhelpful as the DWP and the sooner all this PIP/Universal Credit fiasco is kicked into touch the better.”
Last month (October) he launched a petition that he hoped would secure enough signatures – 100,000 – to ensure the issues are debated in parliament.
The petition on the government website called for an end to the use of private contractors for DWP disability benefit assessments, both for PIP and for employment and support allowance (and its universal credit equivalent).
He said the disability benefit assessment system is linked to many suicides and “accelerated deaths”, like his brother’s.
And he said he believed there have been “multiple lies” in the written assessment reports completed by nurses, paramedics and occupational therapists working for Atos and Capita (the other PIP assessment contractor).
But with the dissolution of Parliament and the launch of the general election campaign, not only have any Bills been dropped but all petitions have also been cancelled and will not be reopened.
Mr Smith told Metro:
“They have taken the f***ing piss, not just after all the hours I and my supporters have put in but all those poor people who have reached 100,000 signatures will now never get their debate.
“I am angry beyond belief, for me, for other petition creators and for every supporter of every petition. ‘There is something badly wrong here. The problem you are petitioning about hasn’t gone away and you can’t use another petitioning site as the results are not recognised.”
Source: Petition for man DWP said ‘wasn’t sick enough for PIP’ is scrapped | Metro News
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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:
Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
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:
To me, the answer seems simple. Surely he can start a similar petition, after the election, worded so that the Tories can’t call it a repeat. If folk realise how the original one was binned, I’m sure he would get even more signatures.
These dirty incidents keep getting brushed under the Cons carpet but reflect what will get far worse if they ever get a clear majority. This statement in your story totally covers the situation from first hand experience… Mr Smith said: “I honestly cannot think of an organization as shambolic, insensitive, incompetent and unhelpful as the DWP and the sooner all this PIP/Universal Credit fiasco is kicked into touch the better.”
Iv tried to tell my 7 year fight with effects of capita loosing my medical records, denied help, left homeless wheelchair bound. With cancer bone waisting desease, ostio arthritis, fibro mialgia. Plus trying to sort why on my second chemo they again stopped my benifit, having to attend the job center, when I then contracted eye, chest infection, and sepsis. And again one week ago trued to force me to a fit to work assessment. I’m ex military, I damaged my knees in service, and still fighting to get those replaced, Not one local mp or news paper was interested in my issues, even after chemo and sepsis I was attacked in a local park by 4 guys with a hammer. Smashed my foot off, broke my eye socket, split my skull, and broke 16 bones in my face. Which I’m still recovering from. I trued to take capita to court for loosing my medical records, same can’t get help doing anything.
Sorry to complain. But I need to tell someone.
Regards Brian.
Absolutely appalling. Someone should go to jail for this gross injustice.