Londonderry Man in Permanent Vegative State Asked If He Is Fit For Work
My attention was drawn to this case reported on the BBC News website, the latest to come to light regarding the DWP’s assault on the sick and disabled . Its one of the more extreme examples, concerning a young man from Londonderry whose family have had to deal with ‘enquiries’ about their son’s ‘fitness’ by the Social Security Agency. They still use the more apt term ‘social security’over there apparently, while the rest of the UK has been indoctrinated to adopt more work-oriented descriptions for this kind of support. Their son is in a permanent vegative state following a gang attack, suffering severe brain injuries that require round-the-clock care. This has not prevented the Agency from repeatedly sending him forms to fill in for ESA assessment. Not content with the family’s original comprehensive response, which included his specialist neurosurgeon and GP’s report, they then sent out a second form.
“There is a lot of trauma for the family and it’s not eased when forms like this really rub salt in the wounds.”
What struck me in the usual response that the Agency gave to the BBC was the familiar expression that they are “unable to comment on individual cases”. We are so used to seeing this statement that we never question its validity. It is the same opening line you will get if you write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, or any of the personnel responsible for these processes. It has the ring of ‘plausible deniability’ about it. It sounds plausible, and allows them to erect a shield of deniability around any individual’s case, implying that there is some rule (akin to data protection) preventing them from commenting. But that’s rubbish isn’t it? Because families and patients (victims) everywhere are commenting like billyo, all over the place, and at every possible opportunity. So its just part of the scam that allows them to do whatever they want, make as many mistakes as they want, cause as much damage as they want, and simply get away with it.
Written by bigleyma
August 27, 2013 at 12:00 pm
2 Responses
Subscribe to comments with RSS.
downwithallthat 
DWP staff telephoned me today and asked if I had received tthe ESA form for completion. I said I had received it. I was then asked “as a customer of the DWP” if I had understood the letter. I replied I had understood the words but had no understanding why they doing what they are doing. I was then told “as a customer of the DWP” that would receive the form soon. I commented that I did not like the word ‘customer’, that I was a CITIZEN of the UK – she put the phone down on me.
RESPECT – THEY HAVE NONE
jed goodright
September 11, 2013 at 1:48 pm
I thought the ‘Customer’ was always right and if they didn’t like the service they were getting they had the right to go elsewhere.
Seems DWP changed that too or was it Blair?
c. j
October 1, 2013 at 11:41 pm