hi

There appears to be some lack of understanding here about how people ( called scroungers here) get on to the Incapacity Benefit list.

Believe me they do not come by simply picking up a leaflet from the benefits office ( or what-ever it is called now ).

Every claimant has to see their own doctor and get a certificate to say that they are ill. As Dave Hanson says then they have to go infront of a panel and be judged on medical grounds as to whether they are fit to work or not.

I can tell you that I was made redundant in my late fifties after almost 45 years of continuous working in various industries and in different positions.

This came as a huge shock to me and at first I just didn't know what to do. An ex-colleague advised me first thing was to go to the job centre and register as unemployed.

I was offered the then going rate of unemployment benefit. No more no less. I received no advice on what jobs were available and how to obtain them.

During this time I was having problems with my throat and I was sent to have the problem investigated. After quite some time during which my throat went progressively worse I was diagnosed with throat cancer and received laser treatments, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

I applied at my doctor's recommendation for the higher rate of incapacity benefit.

I attended two medical boards and was refused on the grounds that I could sit at a desk and do clerical work - even though I had difficuly speaking and could not at that time use the telephone. By the way there were no clerical jobs available in my area.

So if the ( disputed ) number of incapacity receivers are on the list they must have been tested as I was and concious decisions made to put them there.

Of course there are scroungers and people who know how to con officialdom but these are IMHO in the minority.

I wait with interest the supposed start of the removal of claimants in OCtober....

I our local paper only this week over half of the officials who determine Jobseeker allowances and Incapacity benefits are on the list for imminent redundancy. Who pray is going to do the investigations ???

The government live in cloud cuckooland. It will cost them more in trying to clear the list than it costs in paying out the benefits.

Let me say that I don't like scroungers any more than most people do and if we can get rid of the genuine ones I will even help !!

Cheers

MikeL2