Stitching-up claimants is all part of the job, says Jobcentre insider

Last week Iain Duncan Smith met a whistle-blower who has worked for his Department for Work and Pensions for more than 20 years.

Giving the Secretary of State a dossier of evidence, the former Jobcentre Plus adviser told him of a “brutal and bullying” culture of “setting claimants up to fail”.

“The pressure to sanction customers was constant,” he said. “It led to people being stitched-up on a daily basis.”

The man wishes to be anonymous but gave his details to IDS, DWP minister Esther McVey and Neil Couling, Head of Jobcentre Plus, who also attended the meeting.

“We were constantly told ‘agitate the customer’ and that ‘any engagement with the customer is an opportunity to ­sanction’,” he told them.

Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, the member of the DWP Select Committee who set up the meeting, has renewed her call for an inquiry into inappropriate sanctioning.

“I am deeply concerned that sanctions are being used to create the illusion the Government is bringing down unemployment,” she said.

Sanctions pre-date the Coalition as a way of ensuring benefit claimants, who include the jobless and sick and disabled people on Employment Support Allowance, attend appointments and apply for jobs. But under the Tory-led Government, they have soared – to 897,690 a year from the most recent data.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/stitching-up-claimants-part-job-says-3537051


from May last year...but no better if not worse Now....


and you wonder why I consider those who work for this shameful organisation to be entirely without honour...

In fact come the revolution i would put them against the brick wall first...

IDS and his troupe of performing monkeys are merely self seeking low lifes

these people are traitors to their own.......

Absolutely agree Victor, don't know how they sleep at night.

This week:

Release the Death Statistics on Benefit Cuts to Show Their Full Impact

Following last week's budget announcement of £12billion in benefit cuts, how many people will die as a result? Dramatic as it may sound, there is already solid evidence that deaths directly correlate to the harsh family benefits caps like those the government plans to introduce. But that evidence is being hushed up. And you can help it become public by signing the petition I've set up on Change.org, which appeals for its release.

I'm asking Iain Duncan Smith to stop blocking the publication of these death statistics from the past four years, which reveal how many people have died within six weeks of their benefits being stopped.

Between January and November 2011, 10,600 people died while claiming Employment and Support Allowance. Some, of course, would have sadly died anyway because they were ill or because - put bluntly - people die. Analysis showed that 1,300 of those deaths were in the 'Work Related Activity Group' - those expected to be well enough to return to work within a year. It's false to say - as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has - that the link between deaths and benefit cuts is tenuous.

The DWP has thought of all sorts of reasons not to release the post-2011 death statistics. Initially, they claimed the request would create an undue burden on its time and resources. This was later disproven when it admitted it could indeed provide some of the information within the Freedom of Information request cost limit of £600. Then, they said they were planning to publish the information at an unspecified time in the future - and only recently revealed that this was not true - the information to be released would show the deaths as a ratio, not the actual number of deaths that have occurred.

The DWP says it is irresponsible to suggest a causal link between the death of an individual and their benefit claim, and that mortality rates among people with serious health conditions are likely to be higher than those among the general population. But that one was disproven by those 1,300 people who were due to return to work within a year.

For years there have been reports of people committing suicide or dying from ill health soon after their benefits are stopped. As a partner of someone with a disability I have been through two benefit appeals and have also been a benefit tribunal representation - so I know from personal experience how stressful the system can be and the impact they have on families.

When freelance journalist and carer Mike Sivier appealed for the stats under the Freedom of Information Act - and won - the system-savvy DWP launched a counter-appeal to a higher authority to quash Mike's appeal.

Mike and I had never met - but I know injustice when I see it. I owe it to my partner and to the 870,000 families who currently claim child tax credits, who'll see them capped or cut, to take action. That's why I started my Change.org petition, and working with Mike am calling for the department to release its recent death statistics. It has already generated 237,000 supporters.

The Information Commissioner's Office has said there is no reason not to release the statistics. 237,000 of the British public are calling for the release of the statistics. But Iain Duncan Smith still won't release them. It hints at a nervousness about the full, harrowing impact of benefits cuts.

Overturning Mr Duncan Smith's attempt to keep the death stats a dark secret will be a win for David over Goliath - and a win for humanity over harshness.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/maggie-zolobajluk/benefit-cuts-petition_b_7794058.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Absolutely shocking and the sad thing is that all this was well known long before the last election.
IDS is a disgrace to this country.

This sort of shit has been going on for years and years!!!



Nothing new in the job centre fucking people up... it's not supposed to be easy to get money out of them.



The tax credits cuts are a different issue as for too long too many have been getting too much handed out to them for nothing and the cost in fraud, overpayments and the bureaucracy to run the thing is also absolutely eye watering.


Why should anyone work for money when you can get loads of money for free and doing fuck all!!!???



Let's not forget that under labour people were allowed to claim up to £100,000 a year in handouts to afford luxury life styles that they would never dream of paying for themselves if working.

and you would be next for the wall

Yes... let everyone claim more in benefits than they can get from working... that's a 'progressive' idea for you...!!!

as progressive as letting the top earners avoid paying their fair share

which would render the argument about benefits entirely moot.

Tommy Monk wrote:Yes... let everyone claim more in benefits than they can get from working... that's a 'progressive' idea for you...!!!

Do shut you stupid man, this is about really sick and disabled people trying to get what they are entitled to, and the job centre illegally witholding them, and in many cases the claimants dying, so shut the fuck up for once in your life and try to think how you would feel if they happened to your mother/wife/child/grandchild, or is that completely beyond you.

Not true sassy... you Are using them to further your argument...

Absolutely 100% true Tommy, and I'm utterly disgusted that you don't know about it, because you never know when you are going to be in an accident or get really ill, and then it could happen to you.

You can try and deny it as much as you like, it's fact. Try and borrow a brain cell and educate yourself.

Rubbish sassy... people who are sick or disabled don't have to go to the job centre, they register an ESA claim over the phone and support their medical problems with doctors medical certificates.


Then they get money authorised and paid out to them very quickly.

what kind of dream world do you live in Monkey boy?

Christ on a bike, he actually believes that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man who cannot walk, talk or feed himself told to attend Job Centre interview



http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Man-walk-talk-feed-told-attend-Job-Centre/story-26738618-detail/story.html

Heart attack victim has benefits axed for missing Jobcentre appointment as he fought for his life
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/heart-attack-victim-benefits-axed-5926152

Sick benefits claimant has HEART ATTACK during Jobcentre test - and Government axe his payments
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sick-benefits-claimant-heart-attack-3098219

Christ Tommy, if the Gov. kicked you, you would ask them to do it harder, what a snivelling weed.

I live in reality... you seem to be living in a world of leftie bullshit...



From the first article...


Officials have apologised after a man who cannot walk, talk or feed himself was told he had to attend a Job Centre interview to discuss his benefit payments as well as "training to up date his skills."

A spokesman at the Department for Work and Pensions has apologised and said that Mr Gaskin had been sent the wrong letter.
He added: "We wanted to give Mr Gaskin the option of attending a voluntary 'keeping in touch' meeting, and we have apologised to him for any suggestion this would be a mandatory meeting."

The spokesman said staff at the Job Centre which had sent the wrong letter were investigating how it happened.

So they apologised because a paper got hold of it, so bloody what! They will carry on doing it to others, including people who are dying. They did it to my best friend who was riddled with cancer and died at 48, demanded that she go to the job centre. Her doctor was so incenced he went. Because she didn't go, could not get out of bed FGS, they sanctioned her. Stop living in your dream world, grow up and grow a pair, because at the moment you are a wimp who would let authority walk all over you and thank them for doing it. Obsequious people like you make me sick, and then if it happens to one of yours, you'll squeal like a stuck pig.

That is quite simply a load of rubbish...

How fucking dare you, and people know I am telling the truth because I wrote about it at the time.

Her name was Lyn, she had breast cancer and was given the all clear, had a reconstruction, but they didn't do the cancer tests before they did it and the cancer had come back, the op sent it all over her body, she ended up with it in her lungs, kidneys, liver, bones and brain and was the bravest lady I have ever known.

I know someone on ESA and the only time they ever go to the job centre is if they have to hand in a medical certificate... no appointments, no demands, no interviews... nothing!!!



And their money is in the bank every two weeks!!!



I know someone else, I spoke to today, who is on JSA and has just been sanctioned until October for failing to attend yet another course... third time in a row they have failed to go to the course and third sanction... they will still get money from job centre by claiming hardship allowance.



You talk shit!!!


In your earlier article the DWP apologised for requesting the interview BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND NORMALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN!!!

Tommy Monk wrote:Rubbish sassy... people who are sick or disabled don't have to go to the job centre, they register an ESA claim over the phone and support their medical problems with doctors medical certificates.


Then they get money authorised and paid out to them very quickly.

Tell me you're having a fecking laugh, right?

FFS

If only it were as simple as that.

Wake up son, people are being crucified right, left and centre by this government.

In the deluded world of leftie unreality...

You are the deluded one, there are thousands of pages of evidence showing what is happening, but you would rather ignore it and let people die so that you can cling on to your prejudices. That in my view is the very definition of being a moral coward.

Propaganda...

You are a coward Tommy, a snivelling little weasal, who is happy to bow down to authority and be stamped on. Thankfully, some of our predecessors had backbone and fought for our rights, and we are not about to give them up. You can sit and snivel, some of us will fight any way we can for what we got put in place to protect those who can't protect themselves. You disgust me.

Followed by leftie bullying...



You talk shit!!!

Tommy Monk wrote:Followed by leftie bullying...



You talk shit!!!

Cap doffer and forelock tugga.

Irn Bru wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:Followed by leftie bullying...



You talk shit!!!

Cap doffer and forelock tugga.

Probably not just forelock

Tommy Monk wrote:Followed by leftie bullying...



You talk shit!!!

Aw didums, is an old lady bullying you because she thinks you are a spineless coward happy to be shat on. Never mind, grow a backbone and prove her wrong, if you can.

Ah didums... are you angry because someone with a grasp of reality has shown your propaganda up to be the complete bullshit that it really is...!?



Sometimes I think that you lefties actually want this country to be fucked!

Tommy, if you had a grasp on reality you wouldn't have the backbone of a grass snake.

And I have news for you, it is fucked and getting more fucked by the day.

sassy wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:Followed by leftie bullying...



You talk shit!!!

Cap doffer and forelock tugga.

Probably not just forelock

You mean this?

I do. Wanker is so expressive lol.

You lefties don't like the truth do you...

Tommy Monk wrote:Ah didums... are you angry because someone with a grasp of reality has shown your propaganda up to be the complete bullshit that it really is...!?



Sometimes I think that you lefties actually want this country to be fucked!

Actually I quite like you Tommy even though I disagree with almost everything you say.

At least you are honest and don't usually try to grind down the other guy with a pack of lies whilst trying to claim you have educated them.

I'm glad you are on this forum.

Thank you Irn... the respect is mutual!!!

Tommy Monk wrote:

I know someone on ESA and the only time they ever go to the job centre is if they have to hand in a medical certificate... no appointments, no demands, no interviews... nothing!!!



And their money is in the bank every two weeks!!!



I know someone else, I spoke to today, who is on JSA and has just been sanctioned until October for failing to attend yet another course... third time in a row they have failed to go to the course and third sanction... they will still get money from job centre by claiming hardship allowance.



You talk shit!!!


In your earlier article the DWP apologised for requesting the interview BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND NORMALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN!!!

Is this "someone one" on work related ESA or ESA support group ?

work-related activity group?

The  ESA work-related activity group is for claimants who the DWP consider will be capable of work at some time in the future and who are capable of taking steps towards moving into work (work-related activities) immediately
And if they don`t take thous steps they are sanctioned

Sanctions: employment and support allowance (ESA)
What is an ESA sanction?

A sanction is when your employment and support allowance (ESA) is reduced because you didn’t abide by the rules about work-related activity or work-focused interviews.
Who can be sanctioned?

Claimants in the work-related activity group (WRAG) can be sanctioned if they do not adhere to certain conditions without good cause.

Sanctions can be imposed for:

   Failing to attend or take part in a work-focused interview.
   Failing to take part in compulsory work-related  activity.

What is “good cause”?

This means having an acceptable reason for not attending an interview or for not complying with the work-related activity. A decision maker should consider the following when deciding if you have good cause, before reducing your benefit:

   If you had transport problems
   If your health or disability prevented you attending
   If you have language, literacy or learning difficulties
   If you had a medical appointment that would be unreasonable to rearrange
   Bereavement

This list is not exhaustive and the decision maker may consider other reasons as good cause.

You can ask for this decision to be looked at again.
How much will I lose from my benefits if I receive an ESA sanction?

From 3 December 2012, the benefit reduction is 100 per cent of the personal allowance that applies for a single person who qualifies for ESA, where their award includes a work-related activity component or a support component.  In other words, the sanction is the same amount as the personal allowance for main phase ESA.

Your weekly benefit cannot be reduced by more than this amount and you must be left with at least 10 pence a week.

This means that you will still be paid any other amounts to which you are entitled.  This may include a component, if you qualify for one. In addition, if you are entitled to income-related ESA you will still be entitled amounts for a partner, premiums and, for example, housing costs if relevant.
How long does an ESA sanction last?

The sanction will last until you attend and take part in the work-focused interview or comply with the work-related activity.

You are also given a further fixed-period sanction as follows:

   one week, if it is the first time you have been sanctioned; or
   two weeks, if you failed to attend an interview two weeks or more after, but within 52 weeks of, a previous failure to attend an interview that resulted in a sanction; or
   four weeks, if you failed to attend an interview two weeks or more after, but within 52 weeks of, a previous failure to attend that resulted in a two- or four-week sanction.



It will also end if you are moved into the support group or if you stop being entitled to ESA.


http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1482-employment-and-support-allowance-esa-sanctions

My daughter has COPD plus ongoing chest infections. She has been waiting nearly a year for an examination for ESA, she has two children one in special needs.I have seen her crying her eyes out because she has no money for food or gas/electric,my neighbour once caught her sitting by a park lake tears running down her face. she told him she wanted to end it all. My Wife and I now give her money every week out of our savings, whitch are rapidly disappearing, this can't go on!

nicko wrote:My daughter has COPD  plus ongoing chest infections.  She has been waiting nearly a year for an examination for ESA, she has two children one in special needs.I have seen her crying her eyes out because she has no money for food or gas/electric,my neighbour once caught her sitting by a park lake tears running down her face. she told him she wanted to end it all.  My Wife and I now give her money every week out of our savings, whitch are rapidly disappearing, this can't go on!

Thats a long time to wait niko :-( she should get on to them every week and get a supporting letter from her GP to make her a priority as it is obviously having a detrimental effect on her ongoing mental health

my friend has COPD and has just got ESA work related it took her two trys over 2 years she also got a mobility vehicle as well ,but i don`t know much about the work related ESA conditions, i know more about the support ESA as my daughter gets that and i am the one who deals with the red tape and bureaucracy ect

fortunately it`s all pretty straight forward for her, she doesn`t even get the assessment by ATOS because the first two questions on the form we do fill in gives her maximum points straight away
but i have heard and seen some miscarriages of the system on both sides ie people who should get it don`t and people who do get it IMO shouldn't


I have my criticism of the system for example my daughter condition is life long and will not change ever, yet she has to fill in the form every few years and ATOS charge the system for every assessment made even though they have never actually seen her
lots money could be saved by removing people who`s condition will never change and is life long to a separate group so they do not have to even apply

Tommy Monk wrote:I live in reality... you seem to be living in a world of leftie bullshit...



From the first article...


Officials have apologised after a man who cannot walk, talk or feed himself was told he had to attend a Job Centre interview to discuss his benefit payments as well as "training to up date his skills."

A spokesman at the Department for Work and Pensions has apologised and said that Mr Gaskin had been sent the wrong letter.
He added: "We wanted to give Mr Gaskin the option of attending a voluntary 'keeping in touch' meeting, and we have apologised to him for any suggestion this would be a mandatory meeting."

The spokesman said staff at the Job Centre which had sent the wrong letter were investigating how it happened.

Ah yes the voluntary keep in touch meetings that aren't voluntary. Job centre staff are on target related pay they have to sanction so many people each month. The next change coming is part time workers. They are going to be invited in for a chat and if they cannot attend because of work they will be sanctioned.
The rise in minimum wage is a con all it will do is put many over the threshold for tax credits.
All this against a rise in unemployment. I am not saying people should be better off not working, I am saying that picking on the poor and sick wont sort anything out and the fact that the DWP are trying to withhold this info should tell us all that they are hiding the truth.

It all sounds a bit inconsistent.

I know someone who recently got ESA quite easily and didn't have to jump through hoops. I know someone else who gets some kind of incapacity benefit, and there doesn't seem much danger of them not getting it. I know another person who was told they were fit for work when he clearly isn't, but he won at appeal. None of them seem short of money.

Nems wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:I live in reality... you seem to be living in a world of leftie bullshit...



From the first article...


Officials have apologised after a man who cannot walk, talk or feed himself was told he had to attend a Job Centre interview to discuss his benefit payments as well as "training to up date his skills."

A spokesman at the Department for Work and Pensions has apologised and said that Mr Gaskin had been sent the wrong letter.
He added: "We wanted to give Mr Gaskin the option of attending a voluntary 'keeping in touch' meeting, and we have apologised to him for any suggestion this would be a mandatory meeting."

The spokesman said staff at the Job Centre which had sent the wrong letter were investigating how it happened.

Ah yes the voluntary keep in touch meetings that aren't voluntary. Job centre staff are on target related pay they have to sanction so many people each month. The next change coming is part time workers. They are going to be invited in for a chat and if they cannot attend because of work they will be sanctioned.
The rise in minimum wage is a con all it will do is put many over the threshold for tax credits.
All this against a rise in unemployment. I am not saying people should be better off not working, I am saying that picking on the poor and sick wont sort anything out and the fact that the DWP are trying to withhold this info should tell us all that they are hiding the truth.

Will those on minimum wage lose money by being over the threshold for tax credits? I guess they might, depending on their circumstances. What seems mad to me is that for some benefits, you can't work more than a certain number of hours a week, and for others you have to work a certain number of hours. I'm amazed that anyone can understand the system, and IMO it should be simplified.

My view is that if it's at all possible, people should not rely on benefits at all. Benefits can make people feel dependent and/or more disabled than they need to be. I think that those with chronic conditions should try all possible treatments and lifestyle changes to improve or stabilise their condition, so they can be as self-sufficient as possible. I know that's not always possible, but in some cases it is.

another blithering idiot with no idea of reality

victorismyhero wrote:another blithering idiot with no idea of reality

Oh I have plenty of ideas about reality. I just mentioned three people I know personally, so get off your high horse. I have two jobs myself, and I know about low pay. I know about chronic and progressive conditions too, and I know that some things will make them worse than they need to be.

You people are so negative - you just can't understand that being dependent on the state is not a good thing, and if it can possibly be avoided, it should be.

Nems wrote:

Tommy Monk wrote:I live in reality... you seem to be living in a world of leftie bullshit...



From the first article...


Officials have apologised after a man who cannot walk, talk or feed himself was told he had to attend a Job Centre interview to discuss his benefit payments as well as "training to up date his skills."

A spokesman at the Department for Work and Pensions has apologised and said that Mr Gaskin had been sent the wrong letter.
He added: "We wanted to give Mr Gaskin the option of attending a voluntary 'keeping in touch' meeting, and we have apologised to him for any suggestion this would be a mandatory meeting."

The spokesman said staff at the Job Centre which had sent the wrong letter were investigating how it happened.

Ah yes the voluntary keep in touch meetings that aren't voluntary. Job centre staff are on target related pay they have to sanction so many people each month. The next change coming is part time workers. They are going to be invited in for a chat and if they cannot attend because of work they will be sanctioned.
The rise in minimum wage is a con all it will do is put many over the threshold for tax credits.
All this against a rise in unemployment. I am not saying people should be better off not working, I am saying that picking on the poor and sick wont sort anything out and the fact that the DWP are trying to withhold this info should tell us all that they are hiding the truth.

What do you mean about part time workers? Do you mean those who are claiming some kind of benefit will be asked why they don't work more hours? Of course they might not be able to get time off work, so they shouldn't be sanctioned for that. Presumably, they can ask to go when they're not at work - as they work part time.

Raggamuffin wrote:

victorismyhero wrote:another blithering idiot with no idea of reality

Oh I have plenty of ideas about reality. I just mentioned three people I know personally, so get off your high horse. I have two jobs myself, and I know about low pay. I know about chronic and progressive conditions too, and I know that some things will make them worse than they need to be.

You people are so negative - you just can't understand that being dependent on the state is not a good thing, and if it can possibly be avoided, it should be.

I agree 100%. I know plenty of people with disabilities that work also.
Being dependent on benefits denies people purpose in their lives to be independent to earn their own money.
There is not many reasons why people cannot work

I am sure there is situations where benefit centres have some that do treat those unemployed poorly, but one worker in one centre is hardly viable to claim there is some mass agenda against the unemplyed.

Cuchulain wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

Oh I have plenty of ideas about reality. I just mentioned three people I know personally, so get off your high horse. I have two jobs myself, and I know about low pay. I know about chronic and progressive conditions too, and I know that some things will make them worse than they need to be.

You people are so negative - you just can't understand that being dependent on the state is not a good thing, and if it can possibly be avoided, it should be.

I agree 100%. I know plenty of people with disabilities that work also.
Being dependent on benefits denies people purpose in their lives to be independent to earn their own money.
There is not many reasons why people cannot work

I am sure there is situations where benefit centres have some that do treat those unemployed poorly, but one worker in one centre is hardly viable to claim there is some mass agenda against the unemplyed.

Crikey - I expected a lecture from you about my "poor" views.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Nems wrote:

Ah yes the voluntary keep in touch meetings that aren't voluntary. Job centre staff are on target related pay they have to sanction so many people each month. The next change coming is part time workers. They are going to be invited in for a chat and if they cannot attend because of work they will be sanctioned.
The rise in minimum wage is a con all it will do is put many over the threshold for tax credits.
All this against a rise in unemployment. I am not saying people should be better off not working, I am saying that picking on the poor and sick wont sort anything out and the fact that the DWP are trying to withhold this info should tell us all that they are hiding the truth.

What do you mean about part time workers? Do you mean those who are claiming some kind of benefit will be asked why they don't work more hours? Of course they might not be able to get time off work, so they shouldn't be sanctioned for that. Presumably, they can ask to go when they're not at work - as they work part time.

They can ask to change an appointment and they will probably be allowed to change it but they will be sanctioned for not complying with the original instruction to attend.

Raggamuffin wrote:

Cuchulain wrote:

I agree 100%. I know plenty of people with disabilities that work also.
Being dependent on benefits denies people purpose in their lives to be independent to earn their own money.
There is not many reasons why people cannot work

I am sure there is situations where benefit centres have some that do treat those unemployed poorly, but one worker in one centre is hardly viable to claim there is some mass agenda against the unemplyed.

Crikey - I expected a lecture from you about my "poor" views.

I think we all did

Didge gets very riled at the thought of people claiming benefit fraudulently. Apparently it's ok for him to fraudulently take wage whilst not doing a stroke of work.

Nems wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

What do you mean about part time workers? Do you mean those who are claiming some kind of benefit will be asked why they don't work more hours? Of course they might not be able to get time off work, so they shouldn't be sanctioned for that. Presumably, they can ask to go when they're not at work - as they work part time.

They can ask to change an appointment and they will probably be allowed to change it but they will be sanctioned for not complying with the original instruction to attend.

I'm not sure I believe that tbh.

So why would part time workers be asked to attend?

Anyway, if it's all so difficult, this is why people should not rely on benefits unless it's absolutely necessary. Of course that should go without saying - benefits are those who simply can't work, not for those who choose not to. If a part-time worker could do more hours, or find another job with more hours, why should they get benefits?