Man walks into Ashton Under Lyne Jobcentre, gets sanctioned goes home and commits suicide. Another day outside the Jobcentre | The poor side of life
Ashton-Under-Lyne Job Centre Plus.
It was freezing today outside the Jobcentre. It was already cold but the wind chill was bad today. The Jobcentre is situated on a corner and we are lucky to have a bit of shelter.
Whilst I was stood discussing recent events in Parliament with a comrade a man asked us what we were doing. I replied that we were there to provide advice and support for those who are at risk from being sanctioned or have been sanctioned. He then became quite agitated. He said “That place, don’t talk to me about that place. Its terrible. My brother went into there, they decided to sanction him. He went home and committed suicide. They are murderers. The government are evil. How long is this going to continue for?” It was very clear to see that he was very angry and upset. He wasn’t hanging around either. He rushed off without giving his name and I don’t blame him.
Nothings changed within the Jobcentres. You are proven guilty without being given the chance to have a say. Sanctions are supposed to be referred to a decision maker and you are supposed to have a chance to appeal against their decision. This isn’t the case though. Sanctions are rushed through, with the correct procedure ignored. Claimants often go to the bank or post office to collect their pittance and are told there is nothing in their account. Its shocking but this happens all the time.
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Seems these financial attacks on the disabled and poor have only occurred after the death of Cameron’s son.
Was this because he was claiming the benefits previously or his was of getting back at them because they survived and his son didn’t?
It’s probably because his son Ivan died before Cameron became prime minister.
NOT NICE TO SAY but cameron knows more that he’s letting on, on speculation, he has stood back with the deaths ids has done, does he know something WE DON’T, me i’m very suspicious of camerons boy’s death. NO WAY ON THIS EARTH COULD CAMERON, IDS,OR OSBORNE, DO WHAT THEY DOING TO THE ILL AND DISABLED CHILDREN AND ADULT, IF HIS BOY WAS STILL ALIVE, IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF………JUST THINK ?
I’m not so sure of that.
Disgusting Cameron should be charged with murder
I find it impossible to understand how any person with conscience can work for such an organisation and I also find it impossible to understand what on earth the European Court of Human Rights is for if it does not investigate such travesties of justice. Please everyone give Jeremy Corbyn support and help to rid ourselves of this ghastly misappropriation of justice.
And again: where are the PCS? Where is Saint Corbyn?
All we have is each other and we need to take action and take the power, because it sure as hell isn’t going to be given to us.
The powers that be, the unions, the opposition, they have all failed us. Parliamentary politics is a busted flush, representative democracy is a sham.
They needs to be direct action taken at that jobcentre
You might be interested to see this flyer which is being circulated online and sent to JobCentre Plus offices:
WHEN WELFARE REFORM BECOMES ABUSE
It is becoming clear that the role of Jobcentre Plus is to enforce an increasingly punitive regime of benefits sanctions on those jobseekers who have been unable to find work.
Those who have worked in the field of abuse will know that abuse is most likely to occur when people working for organisations where they are given discretionary powers are in regular and continuing contact with those who are relatively powerless (and these are often the most vulnerable members of society). These organisations also tend to develop a culture where bullying and intimidation become the norm.
Iain Duncan Smith has created within the Department for Work and Pensions an environment where such abuse can flourish.
‘WE ARE SHADOWS’
WE ARE FIGHTING BACK
I have always wondered whether Cameron has some deep psychological issues relating to the death of his son. Im not being flippant here and can understand how heartbreaking it must have been for them to loose their son, but I have always wondered if there are some deep personal issues Cameron is not dealing with relating to his sons departure.
I do wonder if in Camerons mind, the only ‘deserving’ disabled have to prove themselves to be at least as ill as his poor son was. Just seems that anyone els is considered unworthy of support ?
It’s not just Cameron’s mind, from direct experience , some people working for the work programme have a hatred of people on ESA. They were really nasty to me saying how I got extra money because I received ESA, just mean , and then when I told them I didn’t , as I just got Jobseekers’s allowance they shut up…no apology though. Definitely targeting people , but the hate that goes with it , horrible, to people they don’t even know but have judged.
It is appalling. People need to have someone to go with them and make sure that ‘the correct procedures’ are followed.
Use the system against them as Max Igan wisely says.
How sad for this man and his family.. I admire what you guys are doing to help people affected.. I work for a charity housing vulnerable adults and today have been dealing with 2 cases who have had their money stopped – 1 for missing an appt because he was at Crown Court that day and the 2nd for missing his work capability assessment for being in hospital and not getting the letter.
In both cases we have asked DWP to look at the decision again and in both they have come back and said the reasons given are not good enough!!
My whole day nearly spent writing letters/phonecalls to try and make them see this is an unfair decision and has left both residents with nothing to live on for weeks on end,, risk losing accommodation they have, HB stopped and no end in sight for them. I have filled out hardship forms for several residents and they never hear anything back
Keep fighting the good fight and wishing you strength to carry on, despite cold and sheer absurdity of it all
shame on you tory voters you are responsible for these events by voting for this immoral and heartless government.
Find out who sanctioned you. Follow them home and talk to them on their doorstep. They wont be too eager to continue these barbaric orders.
You put me in a difficult position. If you are suggesting intimidation of any kind, I can’t support that. But I can sympathise with a person’s reasons for wanting to make the person inflicting a sanction understand the meaning of what they’ve done. It’s an impossible position to be in, and I don’t have an answer.
if i was ever sanctioned and felt suicidal i would simply go to the nearest local hardman and get a gun,then i would find the nearest politician who voted for these damned sanctions ( preferably a tory duncan smith) and shoot him in the head.
in court my defence would be simple,the government can now house and feed me for the next 25 years…..
As always, This Blog does not condone violence of any kind – to others or oneself.
Poor Mike! You are in an impossible position. Of course you cannot support or condone violent or intimidating responses. No one would think you could, or indeed would! You are doing a superb job of keeping these events in the public arena. If it was left to our national press it would be a whitewash! As a teacher of 18 years, I was medically retired due to having Multiple Sclerosis. Am I entitled to PIP? Hell, no! ‘We know you will be disappointed as you have a disability, but you are not disabled enough’. In other news my ATOS examiner told me I ‘looked well’. Strangely, my MS Consultant disagrees with you. See you at appeal, idiots!
We complain when something inconveniences us which is the worse thing a government should do. When it kills people it’s a different story. There isn’t time for political process to take place and it isn’t mob rule or vigilantism. It is the only way to remove a despot and this is what we have in CaMORON. I suggest we croudsource the fee to pay an assassin and then the People who made a contribution could share the punishment and all go to prison for half an hour or so. Or they can inprison hundreds of thousands of us. In nice newly built prisons called housing estates and social housing.
No. And you know that This Blog does not condone violence of any sort. Keep such suggestions to yourself in future, please.
James Mac, with a solution like yours, where would we be. No need for violence. Every need for you to alter your thinking!
As long as this evil Government is still in the power then you can be sure of more deaths to come…. what a happy message for 2016???
Think we are living in 1916 at times.more foodbanks than ever known.more people really desparate.more folk homeless.more money wasted on illegal wars.& this government & previous right wing labour blair & brown.strangling the working people.we must stand up.together we can make a differnce.
We have all seen whats been happening, we have all stood by in the beginning it was ooo its not my fight, then when laws and policies were implemented(almost all being avoidable by protest and social demand) we cowered in the corner ooo this fight is too big for just me. Now we are seeing the results of plans made by made men and women. So what are we gonna do about it? Wait for a savior or are we going to stop letting others make the major decisions, because at the end of the day we elected them and we let them make the big choices. You want change then go out and take control make sure that government is there to consolidate public needs and opinions to create laws and policies that are for the benefit of all. That being said when you only have so much money how are u going to decide who get what and who waits?
Personally I’d prefer a democratic approach as to the decision making, but do all of you really think that you would have the time to vote for everything? Imagine that like those american shows about jury duty where you have to invest your time into knowing every aspect of the case and making a proper decision. If people could be trusted not to try and sway voting results then maybe it could be done quickly and efficiently with result being gathered live. At the end of the day politics is a public service, if you dont like a particular service what do you do? you complain, gather support from friends and colleague and then boycott until the service is made better.
Utter rubbish
What is?
Every person that sanctions someone should not only be named and shamed, but should have their name spread some way throughout the community they live in. Maybe then none of them would do the job and this vile crap would stop.