Thread: Are the disabled Britain's new slaves?

This is a very worrying article. Only yesterday I was reading research which showed how papers had over the past couple of years increasingly portrayed the disabled as work shy and scroungers. Now the government is thinking of making people, even those with a terminal illness but with more than 6 months to live, which they can never be certain of, work for an unlimited time without wages or have their welfare withdrawn.

So it looks like not only are they likely to have their health made worse but there will not be proper paid jobs for the people joining the unemployment queues each week. I am dumbfounded. I never thought I would be living in such a a society.

In official notes from a meeting on 1 December last year, DWP advisers revealed they were not intending to put a time limit on the work experience placements.

When asked at the meeting if there was a maximum duration to the placements, the reply was: "There are no plans to introduce a maximum time limit."

-snip-

Neil Bateman of the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers said: "This proposal is very worrying. There are completely inadequate legal and medical safeguards – bearing in mind that these are people with long-term health problems and disabilities, often serious ones.

"Compulsory, unpaid work may worsen some people's health, with the consequences of the DWP's savings being passed on to the NHS at greater cost.

"If jobs are there to be done, people should get the rate for the job, instead of being part of a growing, publicly funded, unpaid workforce which, apart from being immoral, actually destroys paid jobs."

-snip-

"When Conservative backbench MP Philip Davies suggested [last year that] disabled people should work for less than the national minimum wage, he was castigated, but it now appears to be government policy."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...k-benefit-cuts

It almost seems like the government is purposely trying to drive down wages and make Britons work harder!

Here is something to consider: how is it that labour does not have enough influence to fight for higher wages and better working conditions, but is able to bring in so many asylum seekers and give them so many benefits? One would be inclined to think that the conservatives are actually letting labour bring in more migrants, and are even enthusiastic about it! Sure, they say they are against it to appeal to their voters. But their businesses are benefitting be access to cheaper labor, and these desperate workers will not complain about low wages or poor working conditions. Meanwhile, so many Britons are unemployed, hte young cannot find decent jobs, and the government is gradually cutting unemployment benefits even more.

They are voluntary schemes .VOLUNTARY
They only last 8 weeks . EIGHT WEEKS
One week to opt out , if you wish .

Nonsense Topic .

Originally Posted by raymondo

They are voluntary schemes .VOLUNTARY
They only last 8 weeks . EIGHT WEEKS
One week to opt out , if you wish .

Nonsense Topic .

I do not know what you are talking about but this thread is on the guardian article on compulsory work of indefinite length for people with disabilities including those who are terminally ill but believed to have more than 6 months to live.

That article is dated the 16th February.

Here you can find their subsequent article of 17th February where they have

decided to upload the documents which are first, a Powerpoint presentation on the new Work Experience policy for the ESA Wrag group, and second, a question and answer session after the presentation as minuted by a DWP civil servant.

The presentation is uploaded in full. However we have felt the need to redact some pages in the second document for editorial reasons. Those include choosing not to reveal the names of those stakeholders and civil servants who were at the meeting, and editing out those sections which deal with entirely separate issues.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/b...cuts-documents

I suggest you have a look at the documents and read both the Guardian's articles before coming on with arrogant unsupported remarks.

Nothing compulsory for genuine claimants .
nonsense Topic .

Apart from being outrageous, this is extremely worrying.

Inexperienced job centre staff will be dealing with clients who could experience a psychotic episode at any time brought about by the stress this policy will undoubtedly cause.

Originally Posted by diamond lil

Apart from being outrageous, this is extremely worrying.

Inexperienced job centre staff will be dealing with clients who could experience a psychotic episode at any time brought about by the stress this policy will undoubtedly cause.

No problem . Send them on holiday to Spain for a fortnight , and three months free therapy to avoid the fear of work .
Bless the little stressed out Bar Stewards .

Originally Posted by diamond lil

Apart from being outrageous, this is extremely worrying.

Inexperienced job centre staff will be dealing with clients who could experience a psychotic episode at any time brought about by the stress this policy will undoubtedly cause.

Good point but the thing is it isn't just to do with people suffering disability because of mental illness. That particular issue has been a problem for some time. About a year or so ago the guardian had an article about Job Centre staff being worried because they were suddenly being trained in how to recognise and deal with potential suicides!!

Also about a year ago we had a program in Scotland, not shown in England for some reason, on the new medical tests brought in by Labour. They were finding about 90% of the people fit for work although I think about 50% of them were not fit on appeal. However they get commission for finding them fit for work. A few of the examiners complained about being harassed for finding too many people ill. One woman was found fit for work and died six weeks later of terminal cancer which had not previously been diagnosed.

Now that time they did not find out the woman was ill because she did not tick off enough boxes but now we are dealing with people who are known to be suffering from cancer

Terminally ill people face being forced to work to keep their benefits under draconian new Government plans, it was revealed yesterday.

Cancer patients who have more than six months to live could have to do work experience or see their payments slashed under the scheme by Work and Pensions Minister Iain Duncan Smith.

And unlike fit and healthy job seekers, there will be no limit on how long those claiming Employment and Support Allowance are expected to work for free.

The Department for Work and Pensions initially said rumours of the plan, which could affect 300,000 disabled people, were “absolute nonsense”.

A spokeswoman said: “No-one on ESA will be forced to do work experience.”

But she later admitted private firms paid by the Government to push people back into work will be able to compel disabled people to take placements or lose money.

Mr Duncan Smith’s plan has dismayed experts and fuelled fury over the Government’s “workfare” scheme that forces the jobless to work for their benefits.

Mental health and disability groups warn making the vulnerable work risks making their conditions worse.

Neil Coyle, of pressure group Disability Rights UK, said: “The idea that disabled people should work but receive no financial recognition for contributing is perhaps a level of abuse in and of itself.”

He added: “When Conservative backbench MP Philip Davies suggested disabled people should work for less than the national minimum wage he was castigated. But it now appears to be Government policy.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...-forced-690027

or look at the exploitation going on here, though on being caught, Tesco did wriggle out of it

Disabled people and other targeted claimant groups are being forced to work for 30 hours a week for £2.25 an hour in benefits and if they do not jump through these hoops they face their benefits being cut off for up to 13 weeks and possibly up to 3 years if Ian Duncan Smith has his way, leaving them in dire poverty and destitution.

It was therefore with some disbelief that campaigners woke to the news that TESCO’s was offering a permanent night shift position unpaid and in exchange for Job Seekers Allowance plus expenses. Since then Tesco have apologised and said there was a mistake as the ‘job’ is not permanent.


It is a disgrace that when there is such high unemployment vacancies are being filled by unpaid claimants. Contact Tesco to let them know what you think of them.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...h-care-reform/

This is just exploitation of everyone. Tescos gets cheap staff, people get more ill and other people who need a job don't get one.

There also is no time limit for the time the disabled must work as you can see at the end of the second Guardian link I gave and above in the Mirror quote.

I saw another documentary last year where they were asking the disabled to go for pre work training. This young man who could hardly walk and hold things was giving it a go but he had a great deal of trouble doing anything and I cannot see him ever being a fit employee though he went through all the hoops and no doubt they will find some ghastly job for him to try without pay one day - I could not see him getting a paid one.

The most vulnerable in society are paying for the Global crash while those responsible are still living the high life.

People who are fit and need work are losing out on the chance of a paid job.

I am seriously concerned for the future.

It is the mentally ill who are suffering under the new rules more than any other disabled person, because their illness is "invisible".

The new work capability tests introduced by Labour were bad enough, but at least they only applied to new claimants.

Originally Posted by diamond lil

It is the mentally ill who are suffering under the new rules more than any other disabled person, because their illness is "invisible".

The new work capability tests introduced by Labour were bad enough, but at least they only applied to new claimants.

Ah yes . Those Invisible stresses brought about by the thought of work and missing the Jeremy Kyle show .
And what about the loss of sofa sleeping time? So unfair .
Anybody claiming to have mental illness can have that illness officially confirmed and evaluated .If a Doctor can find no trace of something , it does not exist .
It's like you telling me that we have full employment because I cannot see the Invisible ones !!!!!!!