A media hate campaign against support group claimants has begun, as the government moves to abolish the work capability assessment (WCA) and allow unqualified jobcentre work coaches to decide whether claimants are capable of work. Sick and disabled claimants are even being blamed for the rise in immigration into the UK.

The lead article in the Telegraph of 24 May revealed “Millions on benefits do not have to seek work”.

The sub-headline added “Taxpayers face bankrolling payments indefinitely for 3.7 million given exemption from having to find a job.”

The article highlighted the number of people claiming ESA and UC because of conditions such as anxiety and depression, back pain, wrist and hand disorders and carpal tunnel syndrome.

It went on to say that “Britain's growing worklessness crisis comes as official figures on Thursday are expected to show net migration has soared to record levels of between 700,000 and 1 million.”

Iain Duncan Smith was cited as saying that the UK needs to concentrate less on bringing in workers from abroad and more on getting British people on sickness benefits back into the labour market.

He said “Companies should now be ending their addiction to cheap labour. They should be focusing on improving productivity by a greater increase in technology, and by training and getting back into work these people on sickness benefits.

 “There is no reason why many of these people on these benefits should not be in work. We’ve got a real problem”

Elsewhere in the paper IDS was quoted as saying:

"Sadly, by being exempt from welfare rules designed to help people into work, they are bound to suffer further – for being in work is acknowledged as a strong health treatment, particularly for those with depression or anxiety."

Meanwhile, the Jeremy Vine on 5 show last week put out a tweet seen by millions of people which said

Is it time to crack down on jobless benefits?

 “Nearly four million people in the UK are being supported by the state without ever having to look for a job.

 “That’s because they’ve been deemed too sick to work.

 “Is it wrong for taxpayers to fund them indefinitely?”

After arousing considerable outrage the tweet was deleted, but a programme on the subject went ahead all the same.

Clearly the DWP are expecting considerable resistance to their project to abolish the WCA. That they are determined to go ahead with it is clear from the announcement that the combined PIP and WCA assessment contracts have now been awarded. Attacking support group claimants in the media as workshy and responsible for record levels of immigration is one way of convincing the public that the DWP are on the right track.

UPDATE, 1 JUNE
Under the headline “Exactly how much of your salary bankrolls the welfare state” and with a sub-heading of “Britain isn’t working – calculate what it’s costing you” the Telegraph yesterday added a calculator to its website to allow readers to work out how much of their tax goes towards bankrolling the welfare state.”

UPDATE 5 JUNE 
A tweet by the Telegraph reads:

"Millions are claiming benefits without ever having to look for work, helping to push the tax burden to hit its highest point since the Second World War . . . It raises the question, just how much of our hard-won salaries are spent on the benefits of those who do not work? With the calculator below, Telegraph Money can now reveal how much of your salary goes towards bankrolling the welfare state."

A number of commentators on Twitter have suggested a parallel between the language of this campaign and a poster issued in 1938 supporting Nazi eugenics which read:   "This person who suffers a hereditary disease has a lifelong cost of 60.000 Reichsmarks to the National Community. Comrade, that is your money too." 

Thanks to the readers who have pointed out that the Spectator has been getting in on the act too.  In an article published on 21 May headed "When will the Tories face up to Britain’s benefits scandal?" the magazine claimed that whilst UC was an improvement "the problem now is people, often citing mental health issues, claiming sickness and disability benefit."

The article goes on to say:   "The UK system seems to have been thrown into crisis by such claims and has no idea how to properly process a mental health claim. So we end up with 5,000 claims a day – a day! – for sickness benefit . . . The waste of lives is one thing, but then there’s the waste of money." 

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Nearly 2 million people suffering from Long Covid.Yet again today's Jeremy Vine's female Troll,name not said,benefit cheats,meanwhile another presenter,female,oh yes we are lifestyle choice to be ill,disabled.Then had the hard neck to moan about ex.footballer being paid Millions...Really ? talking very anal,utter bulls...t.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    We shouldn’t be worried about being forced back to work yet.
    These evil Tories will more than likely be forced out of office next year after a general election along with their back to work nonsense .
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Be it if the welfare system or even the royal family was abolished, if the UK taxpayer then expected to see more cash in his or her wages they'd be wrong, but I have faith they already know this, the real imbeciles believing otherwise are the tabloids thinking they're changing public opinion.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    The reason many more disabled people are not in work is because:-

    1.  People will not give us a job; too difficult or costly to make to make reasonable adjustments.
    2.  People who will not employ us get away with it as it's too difficult to prove your case.
    3.  Lack of accessibility.
    4.  Lack of public transport or disabled parking.
    5.  No Individual Placement and Support scheme available.
    6.  We can only get crap jobs for minimum wage and would be worse off.
    7.  We are seen as a liability rather than an asset thanks to negative press, backed by Government.
    8.  Workplace harassment and discrimination.
    9.  The whole benefits system is keeping us ill.
    10. All our time is spent fighting the DWP, trying to manage our conditions and visits to the foodbank, we have no time to job hunt and probably can't afford to get to an interview.
    11. We are differently-abled. It is society that disables us.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    From media whose audience is mainly those in the community who have accountants who write off all their ridiculous spending to tax. Benefits fraud is equal to tax fraud of the socialites. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Angela Ironside Absolutely so little attention is paid to chasing those who fiddle their taxes either through avoidance or downright fraud the real scroungers can be found at the top of society in this crooked country
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    IDS is a fine one to talk a tory mp who like the rest of parliament gets free money as everything is paid by the state. 88000 a year to play around with I hope him and Freud have as much pain as the millions of people they attacked the first time round.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    The right wing press are preaching to the converted.  Most people want to work but the support is not their.  Sanctions does not help get such people a job they can do.  Being labled a scrounger and workshy what chance of gaining employment?  Noticed IDS has put his ore in.  UC was such a sucess eh. cost £5 billion in fraud.   Mel Stride will not be in the DWP after the election. Like covid enquiery the truth will come out but its 12 months until then.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Mel Stride,using all the right wing media,The Sun,Daily Express etc is again today 11/06/23 again targeting severely disabled and long term sick on benefits.
    Same old rhetoric most disabled people want to work,it makes them healthier blah blah blah.
    The usual comments are provided by the right wing posters in the comments section,I'm sure you can guess what.

    Sadly there is no let up on us from this heinous government


    More than 25,000 people with health issues will be helped into jobs under a £58m scheme announced today by Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Harry I know don’t they go on and on sick on hearing it and next year will have ashworth to look forward too bit of a clown not like boris though just hope he puts abandons these new reforms to pip or make them less brutal 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Who shut down Remploy the  disability employer.

    the present administration.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Jeniffer @jeniffer thankfully they don’t have a remploy here in Blackpool but they do have the work programme they only try send everybody to the pleasure beach anyway 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    I worked for 32'years, in DWP, I have epilepsy, but that didn't hold me back getting myself promoted to management level.  A new manager was put in place to "shake us up" and he was a bully!!  He bullied everyone thus causing illness and  higher sickness stats.  He made my life hell and I became very ill.  My illness deteriorated and I couldn't work.  DWP happy to medically retire me, as afterall I was just a number.  I took the manager to a tribunal and I won!! What did DWP do??? They kept him as manager and then couple years later promoted him higher and sent him to another office to sort them out!!!  My point is the Government does what they want and will be cruel to people, who are genuinely sick, causing deaths, causing illnesses to get worse and not care one bit!  People who have worked or tried to work, and physically or mentally can't, should never be spoken about like garbage!!;  Don't vilify a person when you don't know their background!!  People should be treated with kindness, respect and professionalism!!  Thanks to this website for always highlighting the truth!   
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Katie Hi Katie so sorry to hear how badly you were treated by management. Sadly yours is not an isolated case. When I was in, my professional capacity within, the nhs I was referred clients who had suffered a similar experience. Now I find myself on the other side, often dealing with people who have no knowledge or care of how disability affects people, their capacity or limitations. Now sadly it’s very discriminatory behaviour that leads any assessment. 
      I wish you well and hope that you know one day your previous manager will face judgement for his atrocities against you. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Katie Thank you for sharing your story, and I am sorry that you were so damaged by that f***head bully, but also glad you survived. Sounds like he was employed for his nastiness. Very depressing

      But as you say kindness counts. And I know there are tons more kind/understanding people out there than yukheads like him

      Keep on trucking Katie
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Katie Well said. Work bullies should be fined.  Well done for taking him to a tribunal and not just putting up with his behaviour. He should have been demoted or sacked as promoting him just encourages his narcissistic behaviour. Congrats though on winning your case. If only everyone challenged him eh?!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Katie Katie, I agree with everything you say, and none of it surprises me given the reputation of the DWP, I also have severe epilepsy, but managed to work in the MOD in London for twenty years also getting a promotion, until my health got too bad and I had to take voluntary redundancy, I still suffer multiple seizures, my husband cannot get carers allowance as my PIP was cut, so yes this govt and Labour are vile.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    This is a hate campaign Which encourages people to treat people with disabilities as scroungers and malingerers So if you are healthy it is ok to park in that disabled bay It is fine to use the disabled toilets What is the difference if I take this seat reserved for the less abled I have also suffered abuse  due to not having a visible disability Especially as everyone seems to think they are medical expert these days So have the right to abuse anyone they deem unworthy
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago

    I’ve cared for our bed bound daughter who became bed bound due to severe ME, 22yrs ago at 13yrs old. She has receding health all the time, without my loving care, fighting for her protection and her benefits, she would have died. Our son has mental health issues since covid and losing his job and other things that happened. It’s disgusting how yet again the tories have used clever words to disparage disabled people and people with mental health problems. We’ve been through a lot over the years. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Why has the Tory regime never been held to account over 130,000-200,000 excess deaths attributed to Tory so called welfare reforms.  Not one govt minister has ever been challenged in the media nor has the media  at any time to.my knowledge ever raised the issue. Another of those victims died in poverty and as a result of  having their benefits stopped by the DWP for some perceived infraction of their petty rules .
    So I ask this question
    Are all of those people worksky scroungers as the telegraph  and spectator are so keen to imply or are they using similar tactics used to vilify the Jews during the 1930s by the Nazis.....I wonder.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Why not just throw us all out on the street- keep the many homeless company. Failing that a bullet in the head should do the trick. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Gene I could accept a bullet in the back of the head far more readily than homelessness. I just could not cope on the streets. Being put out of misery would be better than constant worry and feelings of absolute vulnerability. Not all life is worth living but why should the press or idiots choose whose life they end....by bullet or otherwise?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Gene Or open the workhouses again.:(
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Gene Right now with the country in the mess that it is in, and the disabled being villified at every opportunity being dead doesn't seem like a bad idea, at least then I wouldn't face another claim or all these vile changes had enough of it all fed up with claiming, fed up with being blamed for govts mistakes.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    When do these money-lustering Tories give us a cheap chance to stop our physical and mental suffering like people in Canada have? Put me humanely to sleep like you do with a suffering animal! Then I don't have to be tortured by these fascists anymore! Give EVERYONE a choice to assisted dying!! A financial win for the greedy Tories AND a redemption for the suffering! I am serious! I am fed up! I am envying the Canadians! If I have only ONE right, it should be the one to end my suffering cheap and humanely! Is this really too much asked? Why are the Tory-cowards chickening out here??
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Sharon I feel just like you Sharon, thank you for your raw and honest post. Am at my wit's end too. Vilified, abused, blamed, made to feel horrendously guilty for being alive because of disability even by family members. I just want the right to die.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Sharon because allowing you to suffer while they watch is easy for people who only pretend to have a conscience.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Just watching Britain's forgotten Pensioners Heartbreaking 
    How does this relate to us  simple  targetted eugenics use drastic measures and economics to kill the pensioners ie :
    No heat and isolation etc






  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    MEDIA FRENZY works for most things Government or NHS Related. Sad but true.. 😔
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Surely the answer is Universal Basic Income (UBI)! Then everyone is the same and NO stigma at all for being disabled or unable to work in any way. No assessments, no WCAs, nothing.

    Why don't people realise how hard it is to survive on benefits and how difficult to get them and what is proportion on Benefits anyway? It is keeping people ill and struggling on such low incomes. Many discovered this during the pandemic. And I quite agree it is discriminatory to target this section of society who should be put first not last!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Margaret Lamont
      A Universal Basic Income has a lot of merit and it surely would put a serious dent in the levels of poverty.
      But this Tory regime will never even consider such a thing as they like to persecute the disabled and those on benefits as being feckless scroungers which is another Tory lie.
      This policy can be traced as far back as the 1970s and I would  urge you to download a pdf file
      deathsbywelfare.org
      It is a timeline charting the increasing vilification of benefit claimants right up into the present day.
      It also cites examples of the harm caused .
      If after reading this and it doesn't make you angry I would be very surprised.
      All I ask is that you take a look at it and then decide for yourself.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    For as long as man has walked on theses shores, The ruling bodies have openly and actively promoted hatred, bigotry and discrimination, against three groups of society, and the disabled are the main one. They’ve been doing it for hundreds of years, and it doesn’t look as though it’s getting any better, any time soon. It kind of makes you wonder, in the so-called modern sensitive world, how they are still getting away with this.— it’s time it stopped.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    This is of no surprise considering the utter failure of their governance of the country. Their failure on every ridiculous bogus policy they announce and the utter failure of the Brexit lie was always going to lead them to look for scapegoats to focus on in the run up to the next election as they desperately try to hang on to power by any means.
    They always return to the established tactic of attacking the welfare system and those reliant on it.. They know they can lie and blame claimants for every possible ill the country faces and get away with it.
    Right wing media runs rampant with vile propaganda demanding extreme measures against vulnerable people. It so easy for those in power to attack the weakest most vulnerable people they can to hid their own utter failure. The people that are doing this are not decent,fair,patriotic or concerned for anything other than continuing to direct power and wealth in to their pockets.
    They are the real parasites feeding on society not us not the poor not the disabled and vulnerable.


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