Disability to be privatised
Keith Parkins | 15.02.2008 16:47 | Repression | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
As part of the war against the poor and disadvantaged, the disabled are the next to be targetted.
Locally (and I do not know if this is a pilot or being rolled out nationally), disabled claimants are to be invited in to their local Job Centre for an interview with an adviser. They will then be handed over to a private company who from that point onwards will handle all aspects of their claim, ie they will no longer be dealt with by their local Job Centre!
It is easy to see the type of companies who will be queuing up for this new lucrative market that is being opened up. Companies like CDG, A4e, Working Links, who are doing very nicely thank you lining their pockets at the expense of taxpayers and the unemployed, running scam training courses that helps massage the unemployment figures, but does nothing for the unemployed.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386689.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388044.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388504.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/390153.html?c=on
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news614.htm
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/390290.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390471.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390638.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390901.html?c=on
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390923.html?c=on
Disability claimants have enough stress in their lives coping with their disability, trying to live on meagre state handouts, without the added misery and stress of private companies sucking out their life blood.
Yes, there are a few who take the piss, who falsely claim disability that helps give all claimants a bad name. We have one such locally whose performance is deserving of an Oscar.
Everyday locally, we see one such individual whose performance would be deserving of an Oscar. In the town centre during the day, he slowly walks along on his crutches with a pained expression on his face. Tells anyone who will listen how ill he is, that he has to go into hospital to have his hips replaced, his legs amputated (a tale he has been telling for at least five years). In the evening or away from the town centre, he makes a miraculous recovery, you would have to jog to keep up with him. Late at night he is seen walking along carrying his crutches.
We should also not forget that for many years it was policy at Job Centres to force people on to disability to help massage the job figures.
None of this though negates the fact that there are many genuine claimants.
Only last week, I had a person who had read a recent article e-mail me to tell me about his aunt. She had a stroke, in hospital she was just left to rot which helped worsen her condition. Now that she is starting to make a slow recovery, Social Services are withdrawing their support.
Privatising services for the disabled is part of overall government policy to hit the most disadvantaged in society whilst at the same time creating lucrative market opportunities for the private sector. No doubt those in high office when kicked out of office will find they are handsomely rewarded with seats on the board.
References
Ref
Hildy Johnston, Working Links & Freedom, Indymedia UK, 8 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390923.html?c=on
Keith Parkins, no work no home, Indymedia UK, 6 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390820.html?c=on
Keith Parkins, Brown gives yet another speech on training, Indymedia UK, 15 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/391443.html
Locally (and I do not know if this is a pilot or being rolled out nationally), disabled claimants are to be invited in to their local Job Centre for an interview with an adviser. They will then be handed over to a private company who from that point onwards will handle all aspects of their claim, ie they will no longer be dealt with by their local Job Centre!
It is easy to see the type of companies who will be queuing up for this new lucrative market that is being opened up. Companies like CDG, A4e, Working Links, who are doing very nicely thank you lining their pockets at the expense of taxpayers and the unemployed, running scam training courses that helps massage the unemployment figures, but does nothing for the unemployed.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/11/386689.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388044.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/12/388504.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/390153.html?c=on http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news614.htm http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/390290.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390471.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390638.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390901.html?c=on http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390923.html?c=on Disability claimants have enough stress in their lives coping with their disability, trying to live on meagre state handouts, without the added misery and stress of private companies sucking out their life blood.
Yes, there are a few who take the piss, who falsely claim disability that helps give all claimants a bad name. We have one such locally whose performance is deserving of an Oscar.
Everyday locally, we see one such individual whose performance would be deserving of an Oscar. In the town centre during the day, he slowly walks along on his crutches with a pained expression on his face. Tells anyone who will listen how ill he is, that he has to go into hospital to have his hips replaced, his legs amputated (a tale he has been telling for at least five years). In the evening or away from the town centre, he makes a miraculous recovery, you would have to jog to keep up with him. Late at night he is seen walking along carrying his crutches.
We should also not forget that for many years it was policy at Job Centres to force people on to disability to help massage the job figures.
None of this though negates the fact that there are many genuine claimants.
Only last week, I had a person who had read a recent article e-mail me to tell me about his aunt. She had a stroke, in hospital she was just left to rot which helped worsen her condition. Now that she is starting to make a slow recovery, Social Services are withdrawing their support.
Privatising services for the disabled is part of overall government policy to hit the most disadvantaged in society whilst at the same time creating lucrative market opportunities for the private sector. No doubt those in high office when kicked out of office will find they are handsomely rewarded with seats on the board.
References
Ref
Hildy Johnston, Working Links & Freedom, Indymedia UK, 8 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390923.html?c=on Keith Parkins, no work no home, Indymedia UK, 6 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/390820.html?c=on Keith Parkins, Brown gives yet another speech on training, Indymedia UK, 15 February 2008
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/02/391443.html
Keith Parkins