Tories have not improved benefit support for people with terminal illnesses BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO
Bring out your dead: this is the most extra help anybody can expect from the DWP review of benefits for the terminally-ill.
Charities including Marie Curie Cancer Care are calling on the Conservative government to pull its collective finger out and speed up a promised review of benefit support for people with terminal illnesses.
They haven’t got a hope.
Current benefit rules state that claimants can get their benefits fast-tracked if a doctor says they have less than six months to live, but campaigners argue this is too restrictive, and want benefits to be accessible as soon as a terminal illness diagnosis is made.
Then-Work and Pensions secretary Amber Rudd promised in July last year to review the policy in consultation with claimants and doctors.
But here’s the thing: the charities are making a fuss because of figures that show 10 people are dying every day in England, Scotland and Wales before receiving Personal Independence Payment.
The benefit may extend their lives, and would certainly afford them a modicum of comfort in their final days.
But look at it from the Tory point of view:
They would see 10 deaths a week – 2,000 reported in six months – as an enormous benefit saving.
It saves the government anything up to £7,740,000.
And after all, these people are going to die anyway – right? Better to speed them on their way, rather than drag out the agony.
That is the Conservative ideology: save the money (and give it to the rich) rather than use it to provide even a modicum of comfort and solace to the sick who are also poor.
My prediction: this review will take years – and then it will offer no significant changes.
Source: Ministers urged to speed up review of benefits for terminally ill | Politics | The Guardian
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“10 deaths a week – 2,000 reported in six months” – does not compute. 2000 in 6 months = 77 per week.
Arg – 10 deaths a DAY. Sorry, I’m fighting illness (as I have been for more than two weeks now). Will fix now.
The conservatives are not bothered how many people die including the homeless the way they look at it is at least we don’t have to pay them benefit money anymore the jobcentre staff get bonuses for meeting targets and the assessment people who do the pip and fit for work get a bonus for every person they fail even when it’s clearly 100% they are unfit for work and also should get pip I’ve been fighting the DWP for over 4 years after they said I was fit for work even when my new doctor and the specialist at the RVI say iam not fit for work I’ve had a spine injection what has not worked so the last option will be spine surgery and the risk if it’s unsuccessful I will be paralyzed from the waist down.
Oh dear aktion T4 picking up speed now more deaths more denial of benefits