Right-wing nonsense peddlers at GB News are causing trouble again but I have to ask: How are people cheating the benefit system when PIP fraud is at zero?
An article on the “not a news” channel’s website states that online “sickfluencers” are advising claimants on how to provide answers that will maximise the benefits they can receive.
The implication is that people are being coached on how to cheat the system.
But it fails to take account of one major issue: the DWP benefit assessment system is riddled with trick questions that are designed to reduce the entitlements of people who are genuinely in need.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
One of these is name-checked in the article:
[“PIP Angel” Liz] Jones warns followers about “trick questions,” such as whether they have pets they can walk and feed.
Why is it a trick? Because having a pet that needs to be walked indicates a level of physical fitness that disqualifies people from the benefit. Some might have such pets from before they became infirm, and may have partners or carers who could still look after them, so it is not a fair question.
Also under criticism is advice to tell the DWP how a claimant feels on their “absolute worst day ever” – but this is exactly what the assessors need to know; it is only by knowing how bad a person’s condition can be that they can evaluate how much help they need.
But of course, none of this is explained to people by the DWP when they apply for benefits, because the government department has an aim to help the fewest claimants it possibly can.
You can see it in the article’s own admission that
Ministers have pledged to reform the benefits system, aiming to address the record numbers of people on long-term sickness benefits.
So the plan is to change the criteria by which eligibility for these benefits is assessed in order to make it harder for people who are genuinely ill to receive any help. In short, Liz Kendall [pictured] is planning to cheat millions of people out of the support they need. She is the only person who is ‘gaming’ – cheating – the system.
It seems she feels she needs to cheat sick and disabled people out of their entitlements because
The disability charity Scope points to DWP data showing Pip fraud rates fell to 0.0 per cent in April, with total overpayments at just 0.4 per cent.
There is absolutely no fraud in the system. Everybody receiving PIP deserves it under the current rules.
And the current rules are strict. In fact, they drive people to stress, anxiety and mental illness.
The whole state of the UK benefit system, that has been changed from providing a safety net for people who are out of work through no fault of their own into a victim-blaming system that stigmatises millions of people as scroungers and skivers, is a national scandal.
So in fact Liz Kendall’s planned solution will only make a terrible situation even worse.
The solution is simple: reform the workplace to ensure that employers are penalised for imposing job conditions that harm mental or physical health. But for reasons they cannot name, government spokespeople can’t explain why that never occurs to them.
Source: Online ‘sickfluencers’ help followers maximise benefits with ‘example answers for depression’ as 15,000 a week signed off work
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How are people cheating the benefit system when PIP fraud is at zero?
Right-wing nonsense peddlers at GB News are causing trouble again but I have to ask: How are people cheating the benefit system when PIP fraud is at zero?
An article on the “not a news” channel’s website states that online “sickfluencers” are advising claimants on how to provide answers that will maximise the benefits they can receive.
The implication is that people are being coached on how to cheat the system.
But it fails to take account of one major issue: the DWP benefit assessment system is riddled with trick questions that are designed to reduce the entitlements of people who are genuinely in need.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
One of these is name-checked in the article:
Why is it a trick? Because having a pet that needs to be walked indicates a level of physical fitness that disqualifies people from the benefit. Some might have such pets from before they became infirm, and may have partners or carers who could still look after them, so it is not a fair question.
Also under criticism is advice to tell the DWP how a claimant feels on their “absolute worst day ever” – but this is exactly what the assessors need to know; it is only by knowing how bad a person’s condition can be that they can evaluate how much help they need.
But of course, none of this is explained to people by the DWP when they apply for benefits, because the government department has an aim to help the fewest claimants it possibly can.
You can see it in the article’s own admission that
So the plan is to change the criteria by which eligibility for these benefits is assessed in order to make it harder for people who are genuinely ill to receive any help. In short, Liz Kendall [pictured] is planning to cheat millions of people out of the support they need. She is the only person who is ‘gaming’ – cheating – the system.
It seems she feels she needs to cheat sick and disabled people out of their entitlements because
There is absolutely no fraud in the system. Everybody receiving PIP deserves it under the current rules.
And the current rules are strict. In fact, they drive people to stress, anxiety and mental illness.
The whole state of the UK benefit system, that has been changed from providing a safety net for people who are out of work through no fault of their own into a victim-blaming system that stigmatises millions of people as scroungers and skivers, is a national scandal.
So in fact Liz Kendall’s planned solution will only make a terrible situation even worse.
The solution is simple: reform the workplace to ensure that employers are penalised for imposing job conditions that harm mental or physical health. But for reasons they cannot name, government spokespeople can’t explain why that never occurs to them.
Source: Online ‘sickfluencers’ help followers maximise benefits with ‘example answers for depression’ as 15,000 a week signed off work
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:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). 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
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
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.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is 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:
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