Sunday, 12 January 2014

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?

Saturday, 11 January 2014

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.


Friday, 10 January 2014

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

Thursday, 9 January 2014

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

Read this :

HB U1/2014                                                          8 January 2014
ContactQueries about thebulletin in general, contacthousing.benefitenquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
distribution of this bulletin, contact
Who should readAll Housing Benefit (HB) staff
ActionFor 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.

Tuesday, 7 January 2014

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 

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*

Sunday, 5 January 2014

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.  

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Request to Brief MP's - NEXT STAGE of #Wowpetition

If you have any concerns about, Know anyone affected by, or have been affected yourself WITH ANY aspects of "Welfare Reform"

Including : 
Bed tax 
Benefit migration/ changes/ reductions / sanctions or removal.
Changes to care provisions , without the money to mitigate
Service changes, Changes to applications, uncomfortability with current entitlement system 
Problems with assessments, delays to responses to forms, and generally any issue with current changes 
including Etc Etc as the above is not exclusive. 

ALSO cuts to LEGAL AID to actually challenge belligerently obstinate decisions that seem so wrong , all of this is part of the debate , in my opinion.

Before the next bit :
This isnt a mass email of one type request BECAUSE CUT AND PASTE is not nearly as effective as individual, personal briefings
..... so ... 


You need to brief your MP of what has affected you , your friends, relatives, colleagues -YOUR story, your feelings.
This is whether you are sick / disabled or not. Its your chance to EVIDENCE your feelings/ any impacts and consequences of what is happening right now. 

Remember. Insults and rude approach  will be binned by them. 


And you need to state that regardless of their (your MP) opinion on e-petition known as #Wowpetition, you request, as a constituent of theirs, REPRESENTATION without predjudice or reason against representing you at the debate to share your situation and ask what can be done about this. 

This needs Many Many peoples participation.
REMINDER:Copy and paste will not do. 
Remember you have the right to representation.
And YOU MUST DEMAND THIS 
SO BRIEF YOUR MP.
Feel free to also send these briefings THAT YOU CREATE to all and any media you wish, if you do that, list the media you have sent it to , informing your MP that this is what you have done. 
Let us know you've done this, and if you feel able, please share with us, as back up. 


You can find your MP via www.writetothem.com

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Please use the share buttons below too, you can email it to people, share on Facebook, Twitter... and if you have a Blogger Blog you can hit the Blog This button and it'll Blog it to your blog.


UPDATE : THE DEBATE IS ON FEB 27TH 2014 
in the Main Chamber, House of Commons



Friday, 27 December 2013

Very Constant Ommisions from Media

The Media. What Can I say?

Omits to mention 11 million sick and disabled (approximately) PEOPLE - REAL PEOPLE... who may not have been able to attend the Sales.
Who have had consumerism rammed down their throats.
Even led on guilt trips for "not participating enough".

Let me expand.

Do you know what living on ESA is like?

Do you? Payment to payment?

Hardly a lifestyle choice (at a quarter or less of AVERAGE wage < this figure for illustration that its a lot less than average wage, and
Struggles with bills, food, heating, all of it.Fact fiends COULD calculate it if they wish)
Oh and we ARE actually ill, contrary to spiel from Behavioralist premises spouted as truth from the right wing.

You may not like what I say next.


The sick are ignored, despised and shunted to the fringe in this country by the mainstream, yet we are people.


Can I be any more clear that this time of year, against it being a "christian celebration" it is total antithesis of what was supposed to be a GOOD societal control and care message "of its time"

Im not religious.
But the religious Celebrate this time. And what? Provide solutions? No.
Ask each other "ooh what did you get? aww NIIICE" Consuming, not caring for people.

I did explore whether christianity was for me once or twice. I found contradiction, control, and disdain.
I found condemnation of homosexuality.
I found Professing and No Practice for otherwise admirable principles.
I also found there is no God.
For that image of benevolence is unfulfillable. Surely by accepting the god, and surrendering you will be endowed with outgoing ............

Yeah I can rant on.

But I was originally talking re media.

Obsessed with wellness and riches, and aquisition.

AND People under this Christian Government (see several ministers statements of faith) , and Monarchical "god given right to rule" nation...

Can you see this Religion thing is of any benefit to YOU?

Can you see the media bent towards ignoring need?

If so, this blog has made you think.




Fatboy Slim - Lockdown Mixtape (Week 14)

During Lockdown these have been quite excellent, and 14 so far have all been excellent