Incapcity Benefit, I'm on it.

elmarko · 14 Nov 2011 at 08:51

As a working tax payer I'd prefer a few scammers get a free ride than deny genuine cases.

At the end of the day, IB is a small amount of money per person.

Tax avoidance/evasion & loopholes need to be addressed first, as it costs us more than benefit fraud.

People also forget the figure for unclaimed benefits is considerably higher than fraud, we have more people NOT claiming who can, than people claiming who shouldn't be.

If the entire nation was 100% honest & only claimed what they were entitled to (legally) we would be about 8billion worse off a year - funny that.

Castiel · 14 Nov 2011 at 09:23

MOOGLEYS said:
I have just been awarded ESA for my ulcerative colitis. Being recently med discharged from the forces I have had all the support from the Veterans agency and British legion. But in all honesty claiming was easy. I just phoned up and the lady did the forms online, a week later I had a letter saying I would get £105 a week. I have a medical with my doctor today and I need to get a sicknote to send to the ESA people.
I have never claimed any type of benefit before but was advised by the veterans agency to claim as I'm unable to work.
Although the ESA will help its deffinately a shock to the system going from my forces wage to just over £400 a month especially with 3 kids.

Do you not qualify for ill-health pension from the forces?

Metalface Mark · 14 Nov 2011 at 09:39

davedudes said:
I'm also having Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is helping. Thing is i've come so far to be where I am at the moment, I'm just frightened that the worry (I do tend to worry a lot) will send me backwards.

I have good days and bad ones, sometimes I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I really find it embarrassing typing this right now.

Cheers guys

The problem you have (and I guess what makes you feel defensive) is that it obviously sounds like a mental disorder where you have no physical disability, is this right? My ex was a CBT counsellor so I know well how badly it can affect people, if you are getting treatment then it can work wonders if your counsellor is good and Im sure you will be back to work in no time.

MooMoo444 · 14 Nov 2011 at 09:43

/typical OcUK reply

Get of your fat backside and get a job, we don't pay taxes to feed benefit scrougers like you

..

OK, now thats out of the way, good luck in sorting yourself something out.

MOOGLEYS · 14 Nov 2011 at 09:49

Castiel said:
Do you not qualify for ill-health pension from the forces?

Just had confirmation through the post today of my RAF pension it has been delayed due to address changes etc. I have been awarded a SIP (service invaliding pension) and it has now been forwarded to the war pension people for consideration as a tax free (SAP) and a possible seperate war pension.

Castiel · 14 Nov 2011 at 09:59

MOOGLEYS said:
Just had confirmation through the post today of my RAF pension it has been delayed due to address changes etc. I have been awarded a SIP (service invaliding pension) and it has now been forwarded to the war pension people for consideration as a tax free (SAP) and a possible seperate war pension.

Good, That should help you financially. I hope you get on your feet sooner rather than later, I know what it's like to be invalided and the time it takes to adjust.

arknor · 14 Nov 2011 at 10:06

i assume you went for a mental assesment at some point? i went to one in june and at the end they said i had what i suspected and to expect a report within a few weeks....

how long did it take for your to recieve a report?

i dont want to be on benefits or anything but the im interested to see what the report says

, it looks like ive got a fight on my hands just to recieve it....

krooton · 14 Nov 2011 at 10:50

My mum has titanium bolts in her neck and needs to wear a brace for at least 8 hours every day. She has also recently torn her rotator cuff. She still makes the half hour drive in to work each day, works an 8 hours day, and drives back for another half hour.

This is because there is no incapacity benefit in SA, so it's work or starve.

We call her the muminator.

Hagar · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:06

Having had a varied and interesting working life which I hugely enjoyed for 30 years, I sympathise with people who for whatever reason are unable to function in a work place.

I now suffer from high BP which peaked at 200/100 this year but with medication is coming back down. I am still working and will continue to do so even as my reactions to stress are now much worse and I am diagnosed as mildly depressed.

I pay higher rate tax so am lucky enough to pay into the exchequer rather than take from it. I accept the need to support people who genuinely cannot function, however I have become less sympathetic towards people who believe that there is no contribution at all that they can make to society and stay home all day claiming depression alone.

Is there a factor to modern life that has created this, I am sure when I started working in the 70's that this was not an issue, you went out and did, no choice.

Flukester · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:09

[Slip];20560762 said:
Wow.. just wow....

Not only have you just dismissed the same figures you seem to deride (the figures that have been collected by *experts* in those fields) but then go on to basically imply that anyone with depression shouldn't engage in a normal life (which includes posting on forums and building PCs).

"I'm sure more people feel like this"... and I'm sure more people don't feel like that.

no, I'm saying someone who was so depressed / ill that they needed to claim benefits for it should not be capable of posting on forums and building flashy PCs from the proceeds. (not to mention have super fast broadband free)

If you can build a fancy rig, then get a job building PCs, or posting with live chat for a large companys tech support

thats not called depression, it's being lazy

quick, can someone post a link so I can sign up to for free money

of course the above is my view, and I'm entitled to it as much as anyone else here.

MOOGLEYS · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:16

I hate the fact I'm claiming benefits after time in the forces, I feel so damn guilty. I have just agreed to do voluntary work with the council in the local area and have enquired about helping out with the Air cadets as well. I can work these around my problem and when I feel up to it at least then I feel as though i'm doing something.

Hagar · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:21

MOOGLEYS said:
I hate the fact I'm claiming benefits after time in the forces, I feel so damn guilty. I have just agreed to do voluntary work with the council in the local area and have enquired about helping out with the Air cadets as well. I can work these around my problem and when I feel up to it at least then I feel as though i'm doing something.

+1

Scrutinize · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:25

Flukester said:
no, I'm saying someone who was so depressed / ill that they needed to claim benefits for it should not be capable of posting on forums and building flashy PCs from the proceeds. (not to mention have super fast broadband free)

If you can build a fancy rig, then get a job building PCs, or posting with live chat for a large companys tech support

thats not called depression, it's being lazy

quick, can someone post a link so I can sign up to for free money

of course the above is my view, and I'm entitled to it as much as anyone else here.

You really don't understand mental health and depression.

What you fail to realise is that doing things at home, whether it is PCs, gardening etc etc is not the same as being in work place.

Even with mild depression, people can be quite stable at home doing various things, going on holiday, enjoying themselves. Put them in a work place and they fall to pieces within hours. Everything from the environment to interacting with other people in a formal manner, seeing stress in others or feeling any kind of work related stress can be game over.

Vonhelmet · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:32

Flukester said:
no, I'm saying someone who was so depressed / ill that they needed to claim benefits for it should not be capable of posting on forums and building flashy PCs from the proceeds. (not to mention have super fast broadband free)

DR FLUKESTER RESCUES THE BENEFIT SYSTEM!

You don't know what you're talking about.

elmarko · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:58

krooton said:
My mum has titanium bolts in her neck and needs to wear a brace for at least 8 hours every day. She has also recently torn her rotator cuff. She still makes the half hour drive in to work each day, works an 8 hours day, and drives back for another half hour.

This is because there is no incapacity benefit in SA, so it's work or starve.

We call her the muminator.

Which is why your country sucks.

Pestilence · 14 Nov 2011 at 11:58

Flukester said:
no, I'm saying someone who was so depressed / ill that they needed to claim benefits for it should not be capable of posting on forums and building flashy PCs from the proceeds. (not to mention have super fast broadband free)

If you can build a fancy rig, then get a job building PCs, or posting with live chat for a large companys tech support

thats not called depression, it's being lazy

quick, can someone post a link so I can sign up to for free money

of course the above is my view, and I'm entitled to it as much as anyone else here.

The only suitable advice I could extend to you is to shut your mouth and quit rabbiting on about something you obviously, painfully, have absolutely no real awareness of.

If you think anyone suffering from clinical depression can't, or worse shouldn't function in such a base manner as to try and enjoy their everyday life despite what they're dealing with in their heads then you need a serious reality check.

Any clinical or manic depressive who was forced to behave within your guidelines wouldn't be a drain on the system for too long. They'd be dead.

For the record, I've fought with manic and clinical depression for almost 15 years (began with mania and then just sloped off) but have continued to hold down jobs throughout. I won't look down on anyone who feels they can't do it, though.

timmy222 · 14 Nov 2011 at 12:10

My Wife

Claims this benefit after having an accident on a bus.
Before that she held down 2 jobs, a florist and a cleaning supervisor for the local council.
As you can imagine she is gutted being a hard working person having to use a walking stick and now suffers mentaly because of a speeding bus driver.
We lost 50% of our total income overnight and she will miss out on the best pension ever.
The only good thing coming from this will be the compo she is going to have, and this week ourside have decided to get a barrister involved because of the money my wife and i will lose because she will not have a full pension.
My wife would take being better again and having her two jobs back over being having to have benefits.
So not all peeps on this benefit are scroungers although I would say a hell of a lot are.

krooton · 14 Nov 2011 at 12:48

elmarko1234 said:
Which is why your country sucks.

My country is England thanks

bhavv · 14 Nov 2011 at 12:56

edGfaCTor said:
When you get switched to ESA you will be declared fit for work.
which you will either be set to basiclly claim jsa or placed in the group where you will have to attend meetings every few months in your local job center.

I have gone through the process myself it is a complete joke.

Atos are awful most of there staff which are claimed to be health providers is rubbish the first person I saw was more like a receptionist who spent more time typing on the computer then listing to me describe my mental and physical function problems.

I don't even know how the system can claim them as medical assessment they don't run any basic tests on you it's more like a chat then stupid things like can you push against my hand sort of thing not even simple thing like checking your weight or blood pressure.

Yes I already know this. My previous medicals were with qualified doctors, now its with people that send everyone back to work.

But I was put on IB indefinitely and told I dont have to work again until theres a cure, Im not sure if that decision can be over rided.

George Hincapie said:
That's £6000 tax payers have to provide. Or do you think it is magicked from thin air?

Think what you want. My immediate family earn in excess of £150,000 pear year, £6000 is peanuts compared to how much they have paid in taxes, and they are more than willing to support me should my benefits get canceled, but they shouldnt have to, they pay enough tax to cover my £6000 per year.

I dont get why anyone would want to employ someone with my condition - I am unfit and a hazard in any job that requires lifting / pushing / pulling / climbing / operating machinery and cannot drive or travel in public transportation without getting ill. I would literally go to work and lie on the floor all day unable to do anything else.

Vonhelmet · 14 Nov 2011 at 13:16

George Hincapie said:
That's £6000 tax payers have to provide. Or do you think it is magicked from thin air?

That taxpayers provide for it doesn't make it a bad thing. Your argument is incomplete.