|
Cancer patients to face welfare tests during chemotherapy, charities warn
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...sts?CMP=twt_fd
Quote:
|
Thousands of seriously ill cancer patients will be forced to take medical tests and face "back to work" interviews, despite assurances from ministers that they would not make it harder for the sick to get welfare, charities have warned.
|
Quote:
|
At present patients who are unable to work because of cancer and the side-effects of treatments are allowed to claim the highest rate of employment support allowance (ESA), worth up to £100 a week. More than 9,000 cancer patients were placed automatically on the welfare payment from October 2008 to June 2010. However, the expert report says this "automatic entitlement" has encouraged dependency on benefits, "encouraging wrong behaviours from employers and stigmatising cancer as something that can lead to unemployment or worklessness".
|
Quote:
|
"This shows a clear disregard and understanding of what it's like to undergo punishing treatment. Patients who previously had peace of mind would face the stress and practical difficulties of getting assessed for work they are too poorly to do."
|
Where is it all going to end. 
__________________
“The only lesson you can learn from history is that it repeats itself”
|