Benefits in UK are TOO LOW

A very quick blog here.

I have multiple ills. One of which is a bowel disease.

On ESA how am i supposed to afford clothes?

I will expand that.

I have broken FOUR pairs of jeans within the last TWO months, trying to get to the place you need to go when bowels say so.

Broken?

Yes Zips and buttons.

I cant find VELCRO JEANS

You may not see what I mean here.

But jeans break.

I cant afford the rate of breakage of jeans.


I'm putting THIS POST out. Because some may not know this happens, others may applaud my honesty.

But as the title says Benefits are too Low..... How do I afford this without sacrifice to food and heat?

Hmmm there MAY be a clever thinker that can tell me how. But I have trawled my brain , and cant find the solution.

Chuggers.

Comment.

Scope hounded the door the other week.
Chuggers.
So Do you think I want to speak to them in a supermarket lobby on the way out with shopping?
 No . "Good afternoon, how are you" should be met with " I wanna get the fuck out of this shop, and back home" but I havent actually SAID that to them.  IF i want to speak to them, I will chose when and how, or if at all.

Is that a Strange thought?
Does it happen to you?
Are you much the same?

You wanna get out and get home and it annoys you immensely?

That and satellite sales in shops.

In fact , any intrusive lobbying - "lobbying" used cos its normally in a lobby/ entrance - I dislike immensely.
Its not as if you walk over to them and say "can you tell me what this is/ can I have some info,,," Anyway. As you were.

A Blog about NOT writing a blog post...

I was trying to write a blog about Illness and when my attitudes can change, but I couldnt find the right words.
See, Friday night unleashed some shock, and sunday I was reeling. I have no excuse. And wanted to blog about that. The words wouldnt come.
Perhaps they shouldnt, anyway. Who knows.
I drafted a few lines, But decided No. Im not sure I can describe it right.

Waiting an ultrasound appt booking, and next scheduled appt is another fibroscan. This isnt light illness, and *sometimes* it hits my head hard.

It also throws up all the "what you did before you were ill but dont do now" stuff. Thats the tough bit.

Remembering the end days of last job. I shouldnt do this .

Yep theres probably a blog there in all that but cant think how or even why I should.

So I suppose this is the blog that replaces the one I intended to write but found I couldnt.

Trigger Warning : Benefit related Death

Loans arent publicised, and are hard to get. Whatever the situation re loans this man was in his mind put in a catastrophically untenable position. Also with him being Ill, he mayve had no support. The friend that found mayve had no benefits skills or experience or place to go to assist as he tried to get help via 4UP. I dont know about how friend mayve assisted with the illness , thats not the issue here , and I surmise though that the situation should never exist in the first place, and every story like this disgusts me to the core of my being.

How many times must I share that everyone is one step away from needing help from a safety net. This govt deny a net is needed. A safety net is a decent human provision. I shan't rant on.

Heres the story ...

From the Facebook page ‘Atos Miracles’

” With respect and sadness we report the death of a 51 year old gentleman as reported on 4UP by the close friend who found him dead: “Another one off ESA. My friend who I have been trying to help by getting advise from 4UP over the last couple of months DIED in a freezing cold flat on Tuesday evening. He went 14 weeks with no money only to be told that his no compliance for attending an assessment had been good cause and he was entitled to his money with back pay,back to 5/10/13. He never got to see a penny. His money was paid into his bank on the afternoon he died. He was so ILL he couldn’t make it to the cash machine.
This govt are evil bastards, especially IDS. I wish him all the harm possible. 
RIP Paul xx”

Paul had worked all his life until he became ill last year. His appointment letter for his mandatory reassessment was sent to the wrong address – it was sent to number 52 and he lived at 52A. His MP spotted the mistake but it took 14 weeks to sort out.

11th Jan 2013

On the 2/1/14 he was told he would be paid. He was too sick to collect the money himself so he gave his friend his bank card to collect it. The money didn’t come in until Tuesday the 7th so tha say Paul’s friend went round to deliver him the money, couldn’t get an answer so broke the door down; found his friend lying dead. The friend had Paul’s cash in his pocket but the dwp had sent it too late. Money that had been stopped because they got his address wrong.

Today (10/1/14) the friend went through Paul’s phone messages. Ingeus had texted him on the 07/01/14 to tell Paul he had an appointment on the 08/01/14 at 14.55pm. That’s 4 hours before he died. They haunted him to the last.

This information is genuine and verifiable and the friend has bravely given permission for this story to be shared.

With sympathy to all those who love Paul.

Rest In Peace.

To all those struggling right now under similar circumstances: please keep going. We communities coming together (usually online) are never giving up. Our jobs are to endure so we can bear witness and (when health allows) to speak, change injustice and keep alight what we know is Right and Just. We Shall Overcome. Love, Atos Miracles

You Want a Cycle - But YOU ARE ILL ???

I had a message honestly just asked me question why i want a cycle? 

With correct gears it will be easier than walking longer distances and save bus fare, i replied.

Then they said BUT YOU are ill. Riding must be out for you.


I said sometimes it would be less impact. (Yes I get fatigued, aches, etc as part of my illnesses)


They didnt understand that.

This because I repaired a bike from another bike that needed repairing too.

I took the best bits and put them together.

I have yet to test ride it.

Not sure chain and deraillers are set right yet.

Cant do that in a bathroom of a flat, can I.



Was that ableism? I dont know.



------------------------------------
Update: tested it in dusk (still need lights, but thats sorted soon) And happy. Apart from squeak on front brake, which i can live with for now. Arent V-brakes difficult to adjust huh?

When Guts Bite

So at 10pm friday > GUTS WERE REALLY HURTING .

It got so I didnt know where to put myself.

Then There was: Fucking puke fucking pain fuck fuck going on in a loop.
(and the other end wasnt behaving either)

At 1 30 am. ouch was still ouch but less ouch . that was a real whack of ouch. All ouch is real, but whack of ouch was intense.

I don't always tweet/facebook or write about when guts go haywire. . It WAS a bad one. Both ends. Happens quite a bit.

Yeah so theres pain I dont usually worry about but when it was like that, it was pain that makes you shake. I was shaking. I get those pains. A lot.
I wasnt just scared though, i was FRIGHTENED.
When that happens... its "not nice"

So if i say to anyone "sorry, not meeting up , etc etc etc." its cos of GUTS mainly. I fight fatigue to get places , but cant fight the guts.

The guts scare me more than my organ damages, and blood issues and other stuff.


I know a lot of you following reading this probably DO have your own pains. I'm not trying to "glory on pain" here. I wish it was never there to be brutally honest with you. You dont volunteer for this.

WOAH! Nice and cheap and nice and tasty!

I just read this about cooking "Potato layers" in a slow cooker.

Looks gorgeous, and very cheap too.

I'll give this a go soon....


http://3xgf.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/slow-cooker-potato-layers.html?spref=tw

Via Louise who is @mustntgrumble on twitter

DWP guidance bulletin on Housing Benefit and Bedroom Tax 8th January

Read this :

HB U1/2014                                                          8 January 2014

Contact	Queries about thebulletin in general, contacthousing.benefitenquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk distribution of this bulletin, contact housing.correspondenceandPQs@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Who should read	All Housing Benefit (HB) staff
Action	For information

Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy

Background

1. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is aware that there are a small number of claimants who may be entitled to have their eligible rent calculated pursuant to paragraph 4(1)(a) of Schedule 3 of the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2006 (Consequential Provisions Regulations) rather than the provisions which relate to the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS). The Department will however be taking steps to remedy this shortly.
2. For these HB claimants the RSRS should not be applied if they under-occupy their property. Instead their eligible rent must be determined in accordance with regulations 12 and 13 as set out in paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Consequential Provisions Regulations.
3. For claimants to come within paragraph 4(1)(a) of Schedule 3 to the Consequential Provisions Regulations, they must have been continuously entitled to HB since at least 1 January 1996 and occupied the same dwelling since that date, save for any period where a fire, flood, explosion or natural catastrophe has rendered the property uninhabitable.

Breaks in entitlement

4.  The provisions outlined above continue to apply if there has been a break:

• in entitlement of no more than 4 weeks
• of entitlement of no more than 52 weeks, if the claimant or their partner is a welfare to work beneficiary

5.  Note: it may be the case that the transitional protection has been inherited by a claimant and if so they should be treated the same.

Identifying affected claimants

6.  Some claimants may already have contacted you about this and requested payment of arrears. However, many claimants will not be aware of this issue. You should therefore consider whether you are reasonably able to identify potentially affected claimants from your own records.

7.  However if this situation comes to light local authorities (LAs) should not revise awards unless they are satisfied on the basis of evidence that the claimant satisfies the criteria.

Action to take with immediate effect

8.    Once LAs are satisfied that a claimant’s eligible rent should not have been reduced the existing decision must be revised to remove the under-occupancy reduction in the claimant’s HB from 1 April 2013 until the legislation is amended.
9.    This means that arrears of HB will be due from 1April 2013 to the date of reassessment.
10.   You should also record details of affected cases so that once the legislation is amended they can be reassessed to reapply the under-occupancy reduction.

Crown Copyright 2014

Recipients may freely reproduce this bulletin.

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Note it says SOME MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THIS> hence I blog it here. You are welcome. 

PANIC BUTTON? I helped someone who didnt have a landline...

I was talking with someone who said they wanted a panic button , and they said they were told they need a landline, and they didnt have one. 

Not sure of that , or procedure, but found them a free and easy app for their mobile that they could use. 

"This security application is designed to be an aid during distress/panic. It acts as an emergency Panic Button that alerts your family and friends in the possible moments of danger.

After a brief set up, the panic app is ready to be used at any time you require assistance. Just HIT the virtual panic button in the center, and the application will immediately dial one pre-defined number and send a Panic SMS to up to 5 contacts informing them that you require assistance and your location on Google Maps.

A second call option is also provided in case the primary contact is not available. The application can also be used to call Emergency Services such as the Police, Fire department or Medical Services.

The purpose of this application is to assist you when in need. However, it is dependent on various factors that may need your attention:

1. The Call and Text messages are charged as per usual network rates. It is therefore important to check your airtime balance status. 

2. The GPS co-ordinates received are network dependent. 

3. Depending on network traffic a slight delay may occur during transmission of coordinates.

4. The recipient of the text message will require a web browser enabled phone to receive the locations on Google maps. With phones without a web browser, only coordinates will be shown."

The APP is in Google play store .. Link here 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genora.PanicApp

If this is of use to anyone you know or deal with then please share it with them .


PLEASE NOTE : it stores to phone , not SD card

I wrote this to Sue Marsh

I help people. I cant afford a working printer for essential printing of stuff. This is what doing stuff unpaid is about. Mines worn out doing it, cant replace it and wont. Cos thatd break some other part of my income . I also cant travel anymore because Im often short afterwards and have to suffer a while after. You are spot on that the Soul inside will do what it can until you hit a wall. Theres no shame in declaring that wall either. And emails Fine, choose when to answer, But sometimes your soul says DO IT now, and yet you are worn. And then its TOO late when you get to it. All those issues haunt us all. As inside we have the desire for the good that we KNOW we can do, yet are unfacillitated. And when we shed forth advice - rarely thanks is there. But we do this cos its inbuilt. If you've hit a wall, you've already smashed several. Dont disappear. 
#solidarity 
*hides, i dont gush*

Trigger Warning: Benefits Suicide

Every time i see an article .

EVERY TIME.

I think "is this Manslaughter"  SERIOUSLY.

But i'm not a Lawyer.

“This is so sad. This isn’t the first time this has happened and it won’t be the last. I think it is terrible the Government’s benefit cuts are causing vulnerable people so much pain and misery.” 

Story via Mirror: RIP Shaun Pilkington.  

Theres Many Bedroom Tax Stories ....

Theres many bedroom tax stories.

You may have read them.

If you arent angry yet...

Dawn Lennon and Her Daughter . 

 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/merseyside-woman-pay-bedroom-tax-6460078