Reply to: The benefits system

[SueEllen]

this is interesting:

Food banks: is Cameron on the money? | The FactCheck Blog | The FactCheck Blog

Lefty nonsense

Benefits staff get threatened with disciplinary action if they don't sanction enough people.

[vetran]

and this

STATS – Food Bank Facts & Figures | MK Food Bank

[vetran]

this is interesting:

Food banks: is Cameron on the money? | The FactCheck Blog | The FactCheck Blog

[vetran]

Most chairities in the UK primarily exist to provide an nice income for their managers and do political campaigning not to do charitable work

How do we know the statistics don't fit the picture they want to represent and that no political bias has crept in ?

All I hear are lefty bloggers quoting the trusseltrust, and that is enough to contaminate their message to me

combined with official figures I have personal experience (have been involved where some people have been affected) and anecdotal evidence.

Much of it seems to be the due to a maze of rules and the default action being stop benefit.

[NickFitz]

Most chairities in the UK primarily exist to provide an nice income for their managers and do political campaigning not to do charitable work

How do we know the statistics don't fit the picture they want to represent and that no political bias has crept in ?

All I hear are lefty bloggers quoting the trusseltrust, and that is enough to contaminate their message to me

You are an idiot.

[MicrosoftBob]

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.

Most chairities in the UK primarily exist to provide an nice income for their managers and do political campaigning not to do charitable work

How do we know the statistics don't fit the picture they want to represent and that no political bias has crept in ?

All I hear are lefty bloggers quoting the trusseltrust, and that is enough to contaminate their message to me

[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.

[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]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.