DWP like to stop peoples money for no reason. There have been many cases of this nature in the past, many brought up in the house of commons and political debates. In one example someone had epilepsy and the DWP stopped their benefits. The claimant then got really ill and died due to stress which triggered an epileptic fit, only to have the DWP call his parents a week later and say sorry they had made a mistake and he was entitled to benefits. Ouch.
There are 1000′s of other examples I could use. These are not isolated incidents.
So yesterday…
Thirty Year old Iain Hodge commited suicide at a flat he had recently moved into with his fiance Viki who discovered his body early in the morning. The couple from East Kilbride had saved money aside to ‘ do up the flat’ once they moved in, but Iain had become distraught after battling with the benefits agency who had stopped his money for 10 weeks, despite him having a serious blood disorder which could affect his chance of working.
Iains father said: “He and Vicki had just taken out a mortgage on a new flat, his illness was getting him down and he was involved in an ongoing battle with the Benefits Agency.
“He had not received any cash from them for 10 weeks, despite being signed off as unfit to work by the doctor. He was last seen by his GP just two weeks ago.
“Although he wasn’t a lad who cared about money, he worried about being dependent on others.
The thing here is that Doctors or GP’s diagnosis count for diddly squat down at the DWP. The Government have their own biased tests claimants are forced to endure, and most people found unfit to work from thier GP are found fit to work by ATOS, because ATOS is a government funded agency and they have targets to meet. JSA is typically less than DLA which is now PIP, and the tests have been so vigorously rigged in the DWP’s favour under ‘ welfare reforms’ it can send some claimants lives into turmoil.
Iain was a landscape gardener with South Lanarkshire Council when he fell seriously ill in 2009.
He was discovered to have two deep vein thromboses in his legs and had to have his big toe amputated.
Tests revealed he had blood clots in both lungs. He was diagnosed with Hughes syndrome, a life-threatening condition often referred to as sticky blood.
Iain was put on warfarin, which thins the blood, for the rest of his life. It meant he could not do any hard physical work.
He also suffered horrendous headaches and frequent bouts of illness.
He was hoping his condition would stabilise enough to let him get a job or to go to college.
Iain died in the early hours of Saturday, April 27.
He was said to have become depressed by the lack of money and income, and hated relaying on other people, and his depression made him take his own life, when he should have been entitled to the money, at least according to his GP and all the evidence of his condition.
Thoughts From Facebook:
KEY BACKGROUND INFO ON THIS ARTICLE:
The issue of unfair ATOS assessments has been mentioned in the house of commons loads of times and a joke was even made about a tree being found fit for work by ATOS on Have I Got News For You. So far peoples cries of unfairness have been met with replies from Iain Duncan Smith and Esther McVey that the reforms are necessary and fair, and they are not cutting the budget but managing the cost at a lower level.
Last year thousands of people were reported to have committed suicide after being found fit for work when they simply weren’t.
There are many groups on Facebook highlighting the issue, including ATOS miracles and Nurses Against ATOS. As well as there being many videos on Youtube by claimants and reporters.
