The benefits system

[Troll]

It's interesting to see it first hand from a position of relative comfort.

But how do you feel funding it for others without any work ethic?

[doodab]

But how do you feel funding it for others without any work ethic?

I've spent most of my professional life working for big consultancies and huge companies. I'm well used to carrying people without any work ethic.

[vetran]

It is one of the big issues in the Benefit system, the administrators are incompetent and in some cases malicious.

So despite its initial failure I suspect Universal credit system will help, Computers are better at this kind of thing and administrators are willing to blame the computer and help you fix it.


The Trussell Trust - Statistics for finacial year 2012-2013

look at the reason for the voucher issuing. It's scandalous.

[KentPhilip]

Please send us another medical certificate by 11th February. The letter is dated 13th February.

Now that is either calculated to result in benefits being stopped for no reason or gross incompetence.

It is now the 18th Feb. Have they in fact stopped your benefits? Or is this a "What if" question/complaint.
I would have thought you could phone them up and tell them their error, and they would not stop your benefits, at least not for that reason.

I'm well used to carrying people without any work ethic.

You might be, but there are many people who are not used to it, and are not happy with it.

[doodab]

It is now the 18th Feb. Have they in fact stopped your benefits? Or is this a "What if" question/complaint.
I would have thought you could phone them up and tell them their error, and they would not stop your benefits, at least not for that reason.

They don't appear to have started paying them yet. I *could* phone them but I'd rather write them a letter. Sarcasm is better in print.

You might be, but there are many people who are not used to it, and are not happy with it.

Actually they have all been doing it for years, they just never complained before.

[doodab]

I got another 4 letters from them today, including a final reminder dated one day later than the first reminder dated 2 days later than the actual date they were reminding me of.

They don't seem to realise that due to the pins and needles caused by the chemo drugs I can't hold a pen well enough to fill the forms in . They also seem to have lost the form I sent them that says I'm terminally ill, despite processing it and giving me another benefit on the back of it.

I knew this would be more hassle than it's worth. I did say this to the lady who came round and filled the form in when I explained why I hadn't bothered to apply for it myself.

[mudskipper]

I got another 4 letters from them today, including a final reminder dated one day later than the first reminder dated 2 days later than the actual date they were reminding me of.

They don't seem to realise that due to the pins and needles caused by the chemo drugs I can't hold a pen well enough to fill the forms in . They also seem to have lost the form I sent them that says I'm terminally ill, despite processing it and giving me another benefit on the back of it.

I knew this would be more hassle than it's worth. I did say this to the lady who came round and filled the form in when I explained why I hadn't bothered to apply for it myself.

Seriously, you should log all this and send it to your MP / newspaper. You're fortunate in that (I imagine/hope) you've got a few quid to see you through, but imagine if you were ill and skint - it's the last thing you'd need. Shocking.

[doodab]

Seriously, you should log all this and send it to your MP / newspaper. You're fortunate in that (I imagine/hope) you've got a few quid to see you through, but imagine if you were ill and skint - it's the last thing you'd need. Shocking.

TBH it's a known problem, Macmillan have been lobbying the government about it since the ESA was introduced. People have actually died while waiting for their claim to be processed.

I've phoned them and they are looking for the form now, and to be fair they have paid out for the period the original medical certificate I sent them covered. I was just hoping it wouldn't take them more than 8 weeks to find the form.

Universal Credit is probably even more of a shambles.

[vetran]

Universal Credit is probably even more of a shambles.

yes but once online they won't be able to lose your form!

80/20 rule. if the online solution does 80% of transactions the staff can only screw up 20% in a veil of secrecy.

[doodab]

Interesting snippet of news here

BBC News - Atos seeks early exit from fit-to-work tests contract

Sounds like the we don't give corporation want out as they are worried about the reputational damage implementing these tests is causing them.