Showing posts with label PIP. Show all posts

Monday, 18 December 2017

Benefit exam exemptions: a briefing paper by Winvisible for caring professionals

Women with visible and invisible disabilities — aka Winvisible — write:

Dear all,

Here is our latest leaflet directed at GPs and others about exemption from
the ESA and PIP exams.

https://winvisibleblog.wordpress.com/2017/12/10/benefit-exam-exemptions-briefing-for-professionals/

Happy Christmas!

Sunday, 15 October 2017

What do you call a 'death house'?

A Kwuggie writes:

Interesting PIP article, I read the comments below it and from one, learnt a new word 'charnel'. I looked it up. The definition says: short for Charnel House-associated with death. Chancel House anyone?

PIP = Personal Independence Payments, the disability benefit assessed in London by Atos at Chancel House, Marylebone Road.

Thursday, 6 July 2017

6 July 2017 latest news stories from Disability News Service

Thursday evening is a good time to pick up the latest news stories from Disability News Service.

So, here goes with a copy-and-paste job:

Latest Stories

July 6, 2017 0 New disabled MP accuses government of ‘eugenics’
July 6, 2017 0 Police watchdog criticised over investigation into murder of disabled refugee
July 6, 2017 0 Disabled MP forced to miss Commons debates because he has nowhere to sit
July 6, 2017 0 New disabled MPs back fresh call to reopen access fund
July 6, 2017 0 Years of austerity have left personal assistance in ‘very fragile state’
July 6, 2017 0 Using personal assistants works, research concludes… but it can go wrong
July 6, 2017 0 PIP reassessments cause more than half DLA claimants to lose Motability rights
July 6, 2017 0 Foodbank study suggests disability benefits should rise
July 6, 2017 0 Pub discrimination leads one year later to Disability Pride

Thursday, 4 August 2016

Crapita suspends PIP assessor and other stories published 4 August 2016

Comrades will appreciate hearing that this story of a hateful disability benefits entitlement assessor getting some sort of 'come-uppance':

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/capita-suspends-assessor-after-disablist-racist-facebook-posts/

Incidentally, this instance is not the first time that a disability-benefits-eligibility assessor has been outed for hateful views by way of their Facebook content.

http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2011/08/07/atos-employee-derides-sick-disabled-facebook-profile/

I am also pleased to report that my finding a May 2016 press release on Sunday by way of a Google search for the American 'health insurance' company Unum helped source another new Disability News story:

http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/mental-health-charity-sparks-concerns-after-unum-link-up/

The contacts to whom I fed that story by email were Mo Stewart, Prof. Peter Beresford, and Disability News Service's sole reporter John Pring.

The latter Google search stemmed out of an extension of the Internet search rankings experiment outlined in the blog post

http://kilburnunemployed.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/michaela-community-schools-discipline-universal-credits-in-work-services-and-search-engine-rankings.html

Other latest stories from Disability News Service published today:

'Dude Swheatie of Kwug'

Monday, 18 July 2016

Independent review of Personal Independence Payments: Call for evidence

From Rightsnet: http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/dwp-issues-call-for-evidence-to-inform-second-independent-review-of-pip

DWP has issued a call for evidence to inform a second independent review of PIP. This review is looking in particular at how further evidence, e.g. medical reports can be used to avoid a medical assessment or improve the outcome.

Anyone can respond and it is easy to do so either online, by email or post so can I suggest as many of us as possible respond to try to improve PIP decision making. Case examples are very effective if you have any.

If you are unable to send a response yourself, but have comments you would like to make, please let me know and we can incorporate in a response from Islington Law centre (or if sufficient feedback) from the Adviser’s Forum.

Here is a link providing more details of the call for evidence.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536899/pip-second-independent-review-call-for-evidence.pdf

Saturday, 16 July 2016

#PIPFIGHTBACK: How demonstrators did it in Dundee

How and what did our Scottish Unemployed Workers Network friends do on Wednesday 13 July? Find out at

National Day of Protest against PIP, 13th July 2016 – Dundee Event

https://scottishunemployedworkers.net/2016/07/14/national-day-of-protest-against-pip-13th-july-2016-dundee-event/

Thursday, 14 July 2016

#PIPFIGHTBACK: When Kim and the Kwuggies and numerous others marched on Crapita

Blog post by Kim the Kwuggie

Kwuggie-1, Kwuggie-2, Kwuggie-3, Kwuggie-4 and Kwuggie-5 marched with Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), WinVisible and many more. Paula Peters was the compere/director of us marchers. It was fab. We blocked roads (as you would expect if following Paula), ranted outside Capita, DWP and Parliament, try to imagine Paula doing a Jack the Ripper tour "annd nnnow would you like to go to seee Theresa Maaay? Shaaall we go theeere then?!"

There was also what Paula called an open mic. So many people spoke, Roger Lewis who we know well and Kwuggie-1 who we know even better, sometimes.

Kwuggie-1 spoke about people who had been before PIP assessors and although obviously ill they were failed. He had quite a few case histories to relate. He briefly mentioned his own case, where in pain, he had lain on the floor and the assessor took no notice. However his distress really intensified as he announced that 'today [Wednesday 13 July] is a very sad occasion as...it is the last time we can sing David Cameron is a wanker!' and with no further prompting the crowd burst into song, everybody knew the words of course.

My fave photo from the day is the one of Kwuggie-3 crossing the road in her purple coat, her skirt really looks like leopard print. Put your shoes away Tess! Here comes Kuwg's former treasurer!

Kwuggie-3 in 'leopard skin print' closing in on 'poverty pimps' Crapita

Names on the back of a 'Wish you were here! postcard: Kwuggie-6, Kwuggie-7 and Kwuggie-8.

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Benefits and Work Publishing News Update, 13 July 2016

13 July update — omnibus edition(1)
Independent PIP reviewer wants to hear from you (2)
Claimants forced onto work programme were among 49 peer review deaths (3)
Sale of NHS records scrapped – for now (4)
Misuse of jobcentre funds to cut claimant numbers (5)
Consultation on abolition of attendance allowance begins (6)
Benefits prepaid cards move a step closer (7)
New WCA handbook published (8)

Link addresses

Thursday, 7 July 2016

Sat 9 July to Sun 31 July demonstrations, discussions, workshops and fundraisers in London

Sat 9 Jul, 11am-4pm [BODY]-CAPTURE workshop on how bodies are captured in biometric data. About health, care & surveillance by Autonomous Tech Fetish at The Common House, 5E Pundersons Gardens, London. E2 9QF http://www.commonhouse.org.uk/event/atf-bodycapture/

Tue 12 Jul, 6.30-10pm Tyranny Of The Clock by Brick Lane Debates. What does time mean under late capitalism? Share & discuss at the Hive Dalston, 260-268 Kingsland Road, E8 4DGsuggested donation £5/£3 https://www.facebook.com/events/1347069208643755/

Wed 13 Jul, 10am PIP – Rotten To The Core! Gather at Kennington tube station & march towards Atos, Vauxhall PIP consultation Centre, 65 Sancroft Street SE11 5NG https://www.facebook.com/events/908415682618292/

Wed 13 Jul, 1.15pm PIP – Rotten To The Core! National Day of Action by Disabled People Against Cuts, Winvisible & Mental Health Resistance Network. At C(r)apita PLC, 71 Victoria Street SW1H OXA http://dpac.uk.net/2016/06/pip-fightback-national-day-of-action-against-pip-13th-july-pipfightback/ #PIPFightback

Thu 14 Jul, 5-8pm Sit Down 2 Defend Our NHS by NHS Solidarity. We’ll march from St Bartholomew’s Hospital, EC1A9 to City of London where we’ll sit down in protest against cuts & privatisation in the NHS 5 Year Forward View.https://www.facebook.com/events/245797525796605/

Fri 15 Jul, 7pm Power – fundraising for Crossroads Women’s Centre musical night by female performers. At The Good Ship, 289 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR tickets: £8/£6https://www.facebook.com/events/1710653685824078/

Sat 16 Jul, 10am–4pm Rethink Mental Illness – London Campaign Event Find out about Rethink’s campaign priorities for next year & meet other Rethink supporters across the nation. Apply by email & state preferred London location: involvement@rethink.org

Sat 16 Jul, 12-5pm No Austerity! No Racism! Tories Out! Emergency Demo by People’s Assembly & Stand Up To Racism. Outside BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, W1A 1AA (tube: Oxford Circus) https://www.facebook.com/events/997373007038180/

Sat 23 Jul, 11am March To Save Our Services: Bromley by Unite the Union at Norman Park, Hayes Lane, Bromley BR2 9EF http://dpac.uk.net/2016/06/march-to-save-our-services-bromley-11am-saturday-23rd-july/

Tue 26 Jul, 1pm-5pm 1^st Burnout Workshop with Roots Collective. Open to all at KUWG. At Kingsgate Centre, 107 Kingsgate Road, NW6 2JH

Tue 26 Jul, 8pm-1am Beats Against Cuts – London’s finest DJs raise funds for Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC). At Bedroom Bar, 62 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY £5 advance / £7 doorhttp://dpac.uk.net/2016/07/beats-against-cuts-londons-finest-djs-line-up-to-raise-funds-for-dpac-26-july-at-2000-100/

Sun 31 Jul, 12-5pm (free) Radical Journalism Day Class by Red Pepper, London N1. Fundamental journalistic principles with tips for research. http://www.redpepper.org.uk/media-training/

Saturday, 18 June 2016

DPAC National Day of Action Against PIp Wed 13 July 2016

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) has called a National Day of Action Against Personal Independence Payments for Wednesday 13 July 2016 outside the HQ of Capita, one of the companies contracted by Department for Work & Pensions to administer that disability benefit test.

Callout poster for the central London protest - there will be many others around the country - check at the bottom of this page for one near you, if there isn't - why not organise one?

Command click on the London demo poster photo to access more detail from the DPAC website

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Could disability benefit claimants sue Serco or Hewlett-Packard Enterprise over software screw-up?

Disability News Service reports that appallingly software is causing problems for disability benefit claimants, and that the blame belongs to the private sector contractor involved.

'Appallingly bad' software may cause lost PIP (Personal Independence Payment) letters, says whistleblower(1)

Vital letters that tell disabled people they have to transfer to the government’s new disability benefit are being lost in the system, leading to them losing financial support for months on end, according to a whistleblower.Rebecca*, who has asked to remain anonymous, works for Serco, the company paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to run the helpline that deals with all new claims for personal independence payment (PIP).Rebecca has told Disability News Service (DNS) that she believes the missing letters are probably the result of the “appallingly bad” PIP CS software designed for DWP by another private sector outsourcing giant, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (motto: Tomorrow Belongs to the Fast)

Meanwhile, there are loads of 'ambulance chasing' law firms advertising their wares on TV over the PPI (Payment Protection Insurance) fiasco, asserting that banks have set aside millions of pounds to deal with the fallout of that fiasco. And though the TV-advertised ambulance chasing law firms dealing with medical negligence cases say nothing about how much the government has set aside for dealing with medical negligence cases, the Telegraph has revealed that the government has set aside 1/4 of the NHS budget for that fiasco.(2) (How is that for government investment in career development?)

So how about claimants affected by this screw-up suing those involved?

Monday, 4 May 2015

Will Work & Pensions debate sideline abuses against benefit claimants and carers?

By Dude Swheatie of Kwug

(An email from a concerned family carer got me to do this blog piece that I actually started at about 4:55 this morning.)

On Monday 12 April a contributor to CarersUK online forum about today's Daily Politics Show stated:

....

I watched question time last week and the only person that mentioned the worry and concerns of people with disabilities and Carers was Natalie Bennett. It was brief and the subject wasn't continued!

Then we had William Hague, stating that their party had created jobs to get people out of poverty when questioned about the rise in food banks and the amount of people who had to use them. George Osborne stated the same recently. This is all well and good but how do people cope until they do find work and get on their feet! This party quote numbers about people who are now employed but I am led to believe that many are zero hour contracts (casual labour) and jobs with little security.(1)

....

I had a similar experience back in about 2008 at an Economics Conference run by the Guardian in tandem with the Trades Union Congress. As the then spokesperson for the Green Party of England & Wales on such matters, I asked the panel that included Labour's appointed 'Happiness Guru' Lord Layard how they would improve the economic conditions of family-based carers who were little supported by Carers Alllowance and the removal of their support services from local councils, etc.(2) (Family-based carers saved the UK economy more than the total NHS budget even before the 2010 General Election!) The panel chaired by the Guardian's Economics editor and including one East Midlands Member of the European Parliament were greatly relieved by the chairperson's sidelining of that question as irrelevant.

Since then we have had a harsher 'Work Capability Assessment' i(WCA) n order for people to 'qualify' for Employment & Support Allowance; that test though not piloted until 2011 was actually authorised by Labour's last Work & Pension Secretary Yvette Cooper. And Carers Allowance is being made harder to claim on account of the changes from Disability Living Allowance as gateway benefit to 'Personal Independence Payments' that is tested by the notorious Atos. And the orchestrated smear stories intimidate Labour politicians into mitigating their language against giving proper support to benefit claimants, while its MPs obviously have histories of neglect and abuse of benefit claimants and jobseekers that they would rather not allow to resurface, such as the DWP system meltdown that happed on their pre-2005 General Election watch as a result of staff cuts and a move to remote control of benefit claims.(5)

And I also recall great unease and frustration in carers campaigning colleagues at the 38 Degrees online pressure group's non-inclusion of Atos and carers-related issues before the 2010 General Election when it asked people to vote for its campaigning priorities. Of course, since then things have got much worse, including the scrapping of Independent Living Fund that Labour is not keen to reinstate.

So I would ask my readers to put pressure on the BBC Daily Politics show ahead of their Work & Pensions Debate today, by emailing dailypolitics@bbc.co.uk (6)

Do we get the governments we deserve, or merely the 'options' that even lobbyists such as 38 Degrees and ivory-towered mass media moguls such as Paul Dacre tell us are our [only] options? While I do not approve of violence, maybe it's a case of 'shoot the censors' rather than the politicians as messengers in debates? How about firing an email at them? Politicians can say they are getting support and are supporting people who email them with their concerns, and maybe the censors might feel put under pressure. (Yet I wonder how many of the frontline recipients of email to mass media outlets are themselves unpaid graduate interns?(8))

Post Script

Notes

(1) http://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/carer-and-disability-benefits/daily-politics-show-welfare-debate-may-5th-22708?p=304562
(2) http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2009/07/16/change-the-terms-of-carers-allowance-to-allow-more-carers-to-work/
(3) http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2007/09/20/carers-unpaid-support-is-worth-more-than-nhs-annual-budget/
(4) http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=568244
(5) http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2006/11/16/jobcentre-plus-poor-service-continues/
(6) http://kilburnunemployed.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/5-party-welfare-debate-tuesday-5-may.html
(7) http://www.newstatesman.com/media/2013/12/man-who-hates-liberal-britain
(8) http://www.newstatesman.com/economics/2013/08/generation-jobless-worst-youth-unemployment-crisis-european-history-should-be-blam
(9) https://carerwatch.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/will-iain-duncan-smith-turn-up-for-welfare-debate/
(10) http://kilburnunemployed.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/pollsters-vision-excludes-those-offline.html
(11) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony
(12) This is now available on BBC iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05tb4pz/daily-politics-2015-election-debates-welfare

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

DPAC manifesto for GE2015

Extract from Disabled People Against Cuts website

The UNCRPD [United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities] and our human and civil rights must be fully implemented, promoted and enforced.

Disabled people are affected by the cuts 9 times more than everybody else. The most severely disabled people are affected by the cuts 19 times more than everybody else. This discrimination against disabled people must end.

Manifesto Pledges we are seeking from Parties

.....

Welfare Support :

There must be a publicly run welfare system and an end to paying private firms massive amounts of public money to carry out disability assessments badly. Instead that money should be invested into providing decent, liveable benefit levels.

An end to the Work Capability Assessment which is too flawed to amend.

An immediate end to benefit sanctions which have led to deaths and increasing poverty. Ensure that there is no conditionality of JSA or ESA WRAG on seeking treatments and no linkage with treatment and receipt of benefits.

Engagement with any back to work services must be optional for all claimants.

An end to replacing Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payments which even now is in complete chaos.

A total rethink on any move to Universal Credit and instead serious consideration to be given working with disabled people and DPOs to a move to a single system of welfare support based on the concept of a disabled person’s citizens income.

Policy recognition that there will always be disabled people who are unable or too ill to work. These individuals must be supported by a publically funded system....

More at
http://dpac.uk.net/2015/03/manifesto-asks/

Sunday, 14 September 2014

PIP assessments chaos recalls WCA scandal — Z2K

Sam Ashton of Zacchaeus 2000 — Justice for vulnerable debtors — reports:

The first independent review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment process is underway and Z2K has submitted evidence based on our experience supporting claimants. You can read our submission here.

PIP is the new benefit that began to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from April 2013. Like Employment and Support Allowance claimants must undergo an assessment to see if they qualify, but that’s not where the similarities end because in large parts of the country these assessments are also carried out by the notorious ATOS Healthcare. As if that wasn’t enough to set alarm bells ringing, the government has made clear that they expect PIP expenditure to be 20% less than DLA, leaving many concerned that eligible claimants may be denied the benefit in order to meet savings targets.

The experience of our clients thus far has left us concerned that many of the problems with the Work Capability Assessment that we documented are being repeated with PIP. Just like ESA there are huge delays in the process with many claimants waiting upwards of 6 months for an assessment, meaning they experience severe impoverishment and in some cases a worsening of their conditions....

Continue reading on Z2K website....

Benefits sanctioned? Take mass action!

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Contact us:

Facebook: Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KUWG1

Telephone: 07724 843 973

Meetings: 3pm - 5:30pm
Thursdays, Kingsgate Community Centre
107 Kingsgate Road, London, NW6 2JH

Meeting structure

Helping you feel at home: We meet weekly in the Small Hall at KingsgateCC and start gathering from 3pm, attempting to start the meetings at about 3:15pm and definitely before 3:30pm.

Bring and share refreshments are included. We are not like the 'No eating or drinking on the premises' jobcentre.

The formal meetings start with firstname and what benefit we are on or a one-liner about what brings us to KUWG. (Pensioners and other allies welcome.)

We then ask for casework from those present, arrange who will help with what case, and go onto discussing campaigning leafleting and such outreach activities. We also arrange who will do the chairing or facilitating and note-taking for the following week. Rotating these roles helps minimise the risk of being dominated by one person and helps us build our skills as we share the workload.

Meetings actually finish at about 5:20pm to allow for putting tables and chairs back and leaving the kitchen facilities ready for the next group.

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