The state benefits system mega-thread.

[nomadking]

The DWP sent Mr Graham reminders in September and October 2017 asking why he did not attend - but had no reply.
Benefit officers then carried out two "safeguarding visits" at his home on 16 and 17 October - again with no reply.

What else are they expected to do?
Where were the rest of the family?
He was ok for 10 months without benefits, and the real issue appears to be the bailiffs due to arrive.

Errol weighed four-and-a-half stone when his body was found by bailiffs.
...
Errol retreated into the football memorabilia that might have paid off the bailiffs if he had thought to sell it.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by nomadking

What else are they expected to do?
Where were the rest of the family?
He was ok for 10 months without benefits, and the real issue appears to be the bailiffs due to arrive.

Maybe people aren't as clever as you and need help? Mental illness can be debilitating. Family aren't always there or able to help.
This is why we have a welfare state, it failed again and continues to fail many.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Maybe people aren't as clever as you and need help? Mental illness can be debilitating. Family aren't always there or able to help.
This is why we have a welfare state, it failed again and continues to fail many.

The family were there.

“Errol was always good with his grandkids,” Alison says. “It felt as if he could distract himself with them.

Are the DWP expected to be mind-readers, and to award benefits without question, and for all eternity?

[cimt]

So the DWP tried to make contact and he kept ignoring them, so they cancelled his payments. How is that the DWP fault? If he had been in touch with them and they cancelled then I could understand.

Did he not have a carer? Why did none of his family sort it out for him?

This is just typical government bashing. On this occasion, they did nothing wrong.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by cimt

So the DWP tried to make contact and he kept ignoring them, so they cancelled his payments. How is that the DWP fault? If he had been in touch with them and they cancelled then I could understand.

Did he not have a carer? Why did none of his family sort it out for him?

This is just typical government bashing. On this occasion, they did nothing wrong.

Half and half. Some people just aren't capable to look after themselves for whatever reasons. Some masks all the signs and would never ask for help either. Sometimes no matter how loud you shout out for help, sometimes it just doesn't come. Some do fall between the cracks and it is sad. And this is a sad case all round.

[Jaymoss]

To the unsympathetic who seem to think the DWP carry no blame

Man on benefits for metal illness goes quiet and does not turn up to meetings

They try to get in touch and still quiet

They pay 2 visits and get nothing

They stop his benefits

He dies

Surely the compassionate would see that there is obviously something seriously wrong here and instead of stopping benefits try every means necessary to get to the bottom of what was wrong. Including getting in touch with family or even call the police to check to see if there was an emergency.

Stopping someone with long term illnesses benefits makes it impossible to live surely no one would think "Oh he has to be ok then and won the lottery or something"

People with mental illness often ignore people do not answer doors and isolate themselves . It is a very common symptom. Not getting an answer at the door does not mean they must be ok and able to support themselves now

Originally Posted by Mr K

Maybe people aren't as clever as you and need help? Mental illness can be debilitating. Family aren't always there or able to help.
This is why we have a welfare state, it failed again and continues to fail many.

---------- Post added at 16:02 ---------- Previous post was at 15:59 ----------

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

To the unsympathetic who seem to think the DWP carry no blame

Man on benefits for metal illness goes quiet and does not turn up to meetings

They try to get in touch and still quiet

They pay 2 visits and get nothing

They stop his benefits

He dies

Surely the compassionate would see that there is obviously something seriously wrong here and instead of stopping benefits try every means necessary to get to the bottom of what was wrong. Including getting in touch with family or even call the police to check to see if there was an emergency.

Stopping someone with long term illnesses benefits makes it impossible to live surely no one would think "Oh he has to be ok then and won the lottery or something"

People with mental illness often ignore people do not answer doors and isolate themselves . It is a very common symptom. Not getting an answer at the door does not mean they must be ok and able to support themselves now

However those dealing in the area of social services are often overworked and underpaid with huge workloads of people needing care.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

To the unsympathetic who seem to think the DWP carry no blame

Man on benefits for metal illness goes quiet and does not turn up to meetings

They try to get in touch and still quiet

They pay 2 visits and get nothing

They stop his benefits

He dies

Surely the compassionate would see that there is obviously something seriously wrong here and instead of stopping benefits try every means necessary to get to the bottom of what was wrong. Including getting in touch with family or even call the police to check to see if there was an emergency.

Stopping someone with long term illnesses benefits makes it impossible to live surely no one would think "Oh he has to be ok then and won the lottery or something"

People with mental illness often ignore people do not answer doors and isolate themselves . It is a very common symptom. Not getting an answer at the door does not mean they must be ok and able to support themselves now

There was a 10 month gap between stopping his benefits. The family supposedly knew nothing about any of it.


The onus is on the claimant to prove their claim, always has been.

[Jaymoss]

Originally Posted by nomadking

There was a 10 month gap between stopping his benefits. The family supposedly knew nothing about any of it.


The onus is on the claimant to prove their claim, always has been.

and that when it is mental illness has always been wrong

In fact thinking about it it should always be on the DWP to prove people fit or unfit cuz otherwise people are treated guilty until proven innocent by the DWP

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

and that when it is mental illness has always been wrong

In fact thinking about it it should always be on the DWP to prove people fit or unfit cuz otherwise people are treated guilty until proven innocent by the DWP

So people can get a load of benefits if they just ignore the DWP?

A key DWP philosophy is that being in work helps with feeling down. It was said he was ok, when with his grandkids. Therefore the "distraction" of being in work, should've helped.

[Jaymoss]

Originally Posted by nomadking

So people can get a load of benefits if they just ignore the DWP?

A key DWP philosophy is that being in work helps with feeling down. It was said he was ok, when with his grandkids. Therefore the "distraction" of being in work, should've helped.

And here we see someone with a total lack of understanding of mental illness

I bet you are the type of person who tells his down friends to "pull yourselves together"

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Jaymoss

And here we see someone with a total lack of understanding of mental illness

I bet you are the type of person who tells his down friends to "pull yourselves together"

Just "feeling down" is different and separate, from clinical depression.
It was the family who said he was ok when with others. That clearly demonstrates an ability to "pull himself together".
If he had avoided all contact with his family, that might be a different matter.

[Jaymoss]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Just "feeling down" is different and separate, from clinical depression.
It was the family who said he was ok when with others. That clearly demonstrates an ability to "pull himself together".
If he had avoided all contact with his family, that might be a different matter.

Firstly no it does not clearly demonstrate anything this was only family and his grand kids. Plus he might have been acting ok another classic symptom of mental illness is hiding it from family and those close to you

The guy had obviously took a turn for the worse as he isolated himself long enough to die alone waiting to be found by the bailiffs

As I said you clearly have no idea about mental illness at all

I can only guess but the added stress of the review along with other factors triggered a worsening of his symptoms.

[Mad Max]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Just "feeling down" is different and separate, from clinical depression.
It was the family who said he was ok when with others. That clearly demonstrates an ability to "pull himself together".
If he had avoided all contact with his family, that might be a different matter.

I agree with that, where were his family when they obviously knew he had mental problems, did they visit him much? Doesn't sound like it, terrible for this to have happened to the poor man.

[Jaymoss]

End of the day the guy was clearly to sick to cope without benefits as he died without them so whatever anyone says the DWP stopping his benefits contributed to his death and the decision to stop them was wrong

It is one thing sanctioning the unemployed for not seeking work when they should but sanctioning the mentally ill is clearly dangerous