Insensitive questions from DWP

[citizenB]

Hard to believe that this question was asked by a DWP advisor of a claimant who has Mental Health Issues !!

 

 

A woman who has mental health problems was asked ‘Why have you not killed yourself yet’ during an assessment for benefits.

 

In her meeting Alice Kirby claims she was asked why she hasn’t committed suicide yet.

 

She claims this a ‘standard’ question that is regularly asked of people who suffer with mental health problems.

 

 

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2017/04/14/woman-with-mental-health-issues-asked-why-havent-you-killed-yourself-in-benefits-assessment-6574438/#ixzz4eFYkxs9k

 

 

‘During my PIP assessment I was asked why I hadn’t killed myself yet. This is standard, assessors regularly ask this question.

 

‘Let that sink in – government are hiring companies and telling them to ask disabled people why they haven’t killed themselves.’

 

Despite telling the DWP her health had taken a turn for the worse her PIP was moved from the higher rate to the standard rate.

 

 

 

Other claimants were asked...

 

"How would you commit suicide" and

"Why have your attempts to kill yourself failed?"

 

The DWP insists that all staff carrying out PIP assessments receive training on mental health conditions and pointed to the £11bn being spent on mental health support this year.

 

 

 

They reckon that the training enables their staff to deal with claimants sensitively.. hmm !!

[citizenB]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?475164-Disability-benefits-PIPs-should-be-for-really-disabled&p=5016961&viewfull=1#post5016961

 

 

I didn't realise this story had already been posted.. link above - post number #15

[BankFodder]

It's a pity that we don't get the names of the individual DWP staff asked these questions.

 

If we publish those, I bet you there would soon be a bit of a storm

[Consumer dude]

I think the title of the thread should be changed.

[ThedaBara]

I'm trying to find a thread about pensions, please... can anyone re direct me? TB

[coggy67]

I was asked "why haven't you killed yourself yet?" at my ESA medical just over a month ago. Luckily I was expecting it so had a prepared answer. She laughed, so I shot her down in flames without being rude or offensive.

 

She did introduce herself by name, but for the life of me I cannot remember it, only that her title was Doctor.

[Nystagmite]

Disgusting

[speedfreek]

Why?

 

I've been asked that question by every psychiatrist I've seen!

 

So....

 

I'd rather we got a bit animated about the loss of the WRAG premium, the guidance that says nobody with mental health issue could be harmed by WRAG activity (so no Support Group for you mentellers) and how conditionality work under Universal Credit.

 

So psychosis voices come down to the job centre to sign your UC Claimant commitment which..................

[citizenB]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/04/benefits-assessments-damaging-lives-hardworking-britain

 

 

Last week, the Scottish government announced it will ban private firms from conducting benefit assessments, and is speaking to experts to create an alternative system. The rest of Britain surely cannot go on as it is. As the government lines the pockets of companies, public money is for all intents and purposes being spent on hurting disabled people.

 

Just as the work capability assessment is shown to damage people’s mental health, the test for PIP is quietly putting cancer patients, paraplegics and people with severe depression through hell: assessing them brutally and often incorrectly taking their benefits. That it came out this week that the introduction of PIP has failed to produce the £4 billion savings the government promised adds insult to injury.

 

Alice Kirby has just been told she can have her benefit reinstated. But because of further errors she now has to go through a full appeal, and her depression is the worst it’s ever been. What’s happening to her and others like her is nothing short of “institutional abuse”.

 

[citizenB]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/27/taxpayers-cash-should-go-to-needy-ends-up-atos-capita

 

 

Let me raise a glass to your festive generosity. You, the taxpayer, have showered your charity on the needy and deserving: otherwise known as Atos and Capita, two private companies that have been given more than £500m of your money since 2013.

 

Your munificence is boundless: you don’t expect returns from your donations, given to these companies to provide effective personal independence payment assessments (PIP) for disabled people. No: despite years of being solemnly told that there simply isn’t enough money to properly fund services and the welfare state, you have made it your mission to look after the hard-done-by shareholders of state-dependent companies.

 

I realise it’s Christmas and anger should be reserved for burning the sprouts or arguing over the TV remote, but seriously, you should be teed off. Companies such as Atos and Capita are paid to carry out what are, frankly, pretty degrading government tests on sick and disabled people to see if they really do deserve benefits.

 

Many claimants fail these tests, forcing them to endure a long period of anxiety and worry, and then go through a stressful appeal process. According to figures obtained by the Daily Mirror, six out of 10 of the 90,000 claimants who appealed over PIP decisions won at tribunal. So the companies get a fat cheque, courtesy of HM Taxpayer, disabled people get treated appallingly, and all for what?

 

So we really are not saving any money at all by these assessments?

 

 

This article is from December 2016