Ashton Under lyne, baby, ESA, eugenics, feminism, government, Housing, hunger, Jobcentre, Northern resisters, poverty, sanctions, trade union movement, Uncategorized, womens rights, Workfare

Carers now being targeted by the DWP. 

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all the changes that are occurring in the DWP. It seems like a never ending turnstile of changes. I usually get alerted to the big changes fairly early on before they happen, but I missed this one. 

A lady approached me outside the Jobcentre yesterday during our weekly demonstration. To say she was a bit annoyed was an understatement. She is a full time carer for her disabled son. His condition is unpredictable at times and as a result they are in receipt of a high level DLA payment. It’s not easy to get a high level award and this lady has fought very hard to get this.

She had received a letter from the Jobcentre. She had been asked to go into the Jobcentre for a mandatory back to work meeting. To make matters worse they didn’t send her to her nearest Jobcentre, they sent her to one which wasn’t in walking distance, indeed it is a tram ride away. When she told me I was a bit shocked. She needs to be at home to care for her child, but apparently all this is changing now. She went into her meeting and returned to talk to me to let me know the outcome. 

“The advisor that I saw was totally unsympathetic she showed no compassion at all. She asked me if I knew what my sons condition would be like next year. I said I didn’t know, it’s not a condition that just goes away, it’s part of him and won’t improve. She told me that I would have to leave him with a childminder and they would pay for it. I replied there is no way that a childminder could take him on. He’s very unpredictable in his behaviour and could be a danger to others. I told her that he needs his routine, I can’t just take him out of his routine and leaving him with strangers is not an option. She asked where my child was now. I stated that he was with my daughter who had a day off work. She then looked at me as if to say well she can look after him…… She asked me if he goes to school, I replied that I don’t know which secondary school he is going to yet. And when he does it will be a special needs school, where I can be called out at any moment to pick him up. She then went on to ask me how many hours a day do I look after him. I replied all of the time, but she gave a smart answer…. Well you don’t when he’s at school so you. I said I have told you before I’m constantly on call. She didn’t seem to care. My child doesn’t matter to her. The system is crooked and wrong and I told her that. She sat there all smug with a half smile on her face, nicely manicured nails, nice clothes and reeking of perfume. My daily struggles don’t even allow me to think of myself. I’m disgusted and worried for my sons future”

She is going to fight this and is seeking advice. 

Yesterday we also noticed that the amount of older people having to use the Jobcentre has increased enormously. You can’t receive pension credits at the age of 60 now, so if you loose your job you have to sign on. One chap who was 61 has been told that he might be sanctioned because he cannot get his head around using computers. He’s worked all his life and shouldn’t be going through this. We will help him through this.

Another man again aged 61 lost his job and has been sent to do course after course. He applies for lots of jobs but the job market is so tough he doesn’t stand a chance of finding a job at his age. Of course the DWP don’t see this. They want to work pensioners to death. 

This is so worrying and these are cases where the most vulnerable are being targeted wrongfully by this government. They are not “scroungers” in fact I think that word should be banned. They are people trying to get by under very difficult situations. Remember you could be next. 

Next Thursday the 6th of August we are celebrating our first anniversary of a solid year of weekly demonstarations outside the Jobcentre. There will (hopefully) be music, food, speakers and the usual leaflets and help given. Please come and join us in peace we would love to meet you! 

  
Please donate to help keep our campaign going. This isn’t just a blog, we work tirelessly to highlight how wrong the regime that this government has inflicted upon the poorest and most vulnerable in society. We have to produce our own leaflets and campaign materials.. I also spend most of my time helping people and attending meetings etc to enable us to help more. We will not be stopping our campaign despite how hard it might get for us. There is a lot of work that does go into this and it’s not just a few hours a week. 

Please donate to help keep our campaign going. We work very hard at this and it has become more or less a full time job for me.

28 thoughts on “Carers now being targeted by the DWP. ”

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  6. hi again
    Can you please tell me what time your demo/event starts on Thursday? I’d hate to turn up and find you’ve all gone!!!

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  7. my hubby has been my full time carer for 6 years. i suffer from non-epileptic-seizures and functional weakness disorder in both legs. there is no meds to control either condition. a few months a go hubby was called for back to work meeting. he took me with him as i can not be left on own. he showed the advisor a video on his phone of my seizures , the adviser couldn’t get us out of the job centre quick enough.its all pretty scary tho . knowing that a computer programmer can decide if we eat or not. sympathies to any one under going this treatment

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  10. This is what my last post should have said

    The same thing happened to me I care for my husband uncontrolled epilepsy a deformed. Arm (he can’t use a knife and fork properly ) and learning difficulties. I have mental health issues I had to go to one of those back to work meetings I took my husband with me to show I could not leave him and the fact that there was only to care for himI have had two on the second one I was told I would not have another for a while because I care for over 35 hours per week ( which is joke because my husband needs someone to care for him all the time 24/7 because he has some of his seizures in his sleep at night I have not had any time off in 10years) I am in work group in eas and I claim carers a but iam dreading when they decide I need a review because it is not only my life they messing with but also my husbands this is why carers allowance should be a proper living wage I get £62pw carers and only £17esa I care 24/7 like so many others for nothing eas is this low because of carers allowance and my husbands eas he is in surport group carers work harder than most for nothing we deserve a proper living wage but we also deserve security not constant worry about the little we have being taken it is so unfair

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  11. The same thing happened to me I care for my husband uncontrolledand I have mental health issues I had to go to one of those back to work meetings I took my husband with me to show I could not leave him and the fact that there was only to care for himI have had two on the second one I was told I would not have another for a while because I care for over 35 hours per week ( which is joke because my husband needs someone to care all the time 24/7 because he has some of his seizures in his sleep at night I have not had any time off in 10years) I am in work group in eas and I claim carers a but iam dreading when they decide I need a review because it is not only my life they messing with but also my husbands this is why carers allowance should be a proper living wage I get £62pw carers and only £17esa I care 24/7 like so many others for nothing eas is this low because of carers allowance and my husbands eas he is in surport group carers work harder than most for nothing we deserve a proper living wage but we also deserve security not constant worry about the little we have being taken it is so unfair

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  12. From the Gov.uk page about carer’s allowance stating that “you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone” to be eligible. Which means you don’t have to be looking after a person all the time and so when they are in school or in work or if you are in work for a number of hours or whatever – as long as you spend 35 hours A WEEK you fulfil the time requirement. It is also payable even if you are in work as long as you don’t earn more than £100 a week. So I have no idea what on earth the JC woman was on about pestering this carer about not looking after her son all the time if the only income she has is carer’s allowance and the DLA – it is none of their business and nothing to do with her eligibility.

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  14. I too am a full-time carer for my mum who has dementia, awful arthritis and heart failure. I was horrified to read about the bang out of order treatment meted out to the lady you spoke to looking after her disabled son.

    I take it that this lady is in receipt of Carers Allowance. IF so, the JC+ lady was breaking every rule in the book as they currently stand, even under UC.

    May I suggest that she contacts Carers UK? I joined their forum nearly 2 years ago and it saved my sanity. I was so isolated.

    But, aside from my sanity, I was also given so much practical advice, financial info and understanding too (understanding, combined with practical advice, is never to be underestimated.).

    If she hasn’t already, just goggle Carers UK forum, explore it, and it takes like 2 minutes to join and is free.

    I only suggest this as another arrow in her bow.

    On a more personal note, I’ve been following your blog since about January, and I want to turn up to your annual protest next week.

    I’ve insisted to my father that I have next Thursday off – that was military planning as I’m also looking after him (but not to the same extent as my mum, but give it time) – so can you give the exact address of this Job Sanction + , and the nearest railway station (I’m coming from Merseyside and haven’t a clue about your neck of the woods.)

    I so admire what you are doing and want to show my support…. But an address would help!

    XXXXX

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    1. Omg thank you!!! I shall tell her, she does go to the careers centre but this is very good advice xx. The nearest train station is Ashton under lyne. The Jobcentre is 101 old street Ashton under lyne ol66bj if you need directions etc I’m happy to help xxx.

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