Tuesday, January 08, 2008
On, off on off, back on the Incapacity wheel of fortune.
Way back in 1997 I was on an electronic conference (kind of prehistoric blog), one other member of which made a credible threat to kill himself. He was fairly seriously disabled and on incapacity benefit. The medical and welfare bureaucracy surrounding this – his condition was one which saw ups and downs in his capacity to work – made him so depressed that he spent General Election night 1997 with the means and determination to commit suicide if the Tories had been returned to office.
Background: in the last Tory years people were encouraged to go onto ‘Incapacity Benefit’ because it took them off the crude unemployment figures. Then this looked a bit expensive, so they began muttering about thousands of ‘benefits scroungers’ and began targeting people they originally encouraged to go onto the benefit to force them onto normal employment benefit. This was through introducing Byzantine medical re-check procedures.
And now… in 2008…
The Tories have unveiled plans to cut 200,000 people from the Incapacity Benefit rolls. 2.65 million people on the incapacity register will be re-tested by doctors and if passed fit for work placed on ordinary J.A.
Dave Boy Genius has it seems just re-invented another Tory wheel. Be warned that this is an expensive wheel in its own right and very difficult to operate humanely.
Background: in the last Tory years people were encouraged to go onto ‘Incapacity Benefit’ because it took them off the crude unemployment figures. Then this looked a bit expensive, so they began muttering about thousands of ‘benefits scroungers’ and began targeting people they originally encouraged to go onto the benefit to force them onto normal employment benefit. This was through introducing Byzantine medical re-check procedures.
And now… in 2008…
The Tories have unveiled plans to cut 200,000 people from the Incapacity Benefit rolls. 2.65 million people on the incapacity register will be re-tested by doctors and if passed fit for work placed on ordinary J.A.
Dave Boy Genius has it seems just re-invented another Tory wheel. Be warned that this is an expensive wheel in its own right and very difficult to operate humanely.
Labels: benefits, disability, Tories
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