Disabled or dosser? (Disability Living Allowance)

Member Name: Biffa

Product:	Disability Living Allowance
Date:	07/05/01 (1117 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Help those who need it

Disadvantages: Too many scroungers, Too much benefit fraud, Difficult for those who need it to get it (unless of course you're a professional dosser)

At long last, I've found somewhere to vent my spleen about the benefits system, or rather lack of. I'll warn you now, this will a rather long and irate opinion, but some things make my blood boil, and this is one of them. Please bear with me!

There are two examples I want to present to you:

Example 1) My husband, as some of you will already know, has a broken back, courtesy of HM Forces. For this, he received a paltry payout, the prospect of a lifetime of pain and a pat on the already broken back and out you go from the army. Upon leaving the army there were two options available to him - claim benefits, never do another days works as long as you live, or go out there and get a different job and make something of yourself. He chose the latter of the two. He is now a Logistics Manager.

Example 2) The bone idle neighbour from hell allegedly hurt his shoulder in a motorbike accident 2 years ago (apparently doing 10mph and slightly grazing the kirb as he fell off). Since then he hasn't done a days work and seems content to scrounge off the dole. Seemingly bored of our friendly little close, they deicded to move up North. Being a council tenant (one of only 6 in our close), the council arranged the move for them and paid for them to move. They had a cushy little set up - a nice 3 bed semi with double glazing, central heating and an alarm system. They were given grants to help buy new furniture and decorate when they got there. Two weeks later they were back - somebody had thrown a stone at their window, so deciding it was obviously a rough area, they came back. The council gave them their old house back - which was in a grott state inside and out, as they'd left it. They were given yet more grants to help redecorate, put down new carpets all through etc etc and buy yet more furntiture.

Having been back 'home' for 5 months, he decided to get a job. It lasted less than two weeks, because of his sh
oulder. Off he went to the doctors for sympathy and tea (and 'Oh while I'm here just sign this 'ere disability form for me please'), only to be told by the doctor that seeing as he had another arm why not get a different job??

I'm all for the benefits system helping those that genuinely need it - but giving grants to people for everything under the sun just because they're too bone idle to go out and get a job like the rest of us annoys me.

Maybe I too should quit work and stay at home. Afterall, I DID have a car accident 5 years ago that damaged my back and neck, resulting in 18 months of treatment. Maybe then I could get grants to put new carpets in?? Knowing my luck I'd get nothing.

Why, when there is so much abuse of the benefits system, do they not take more time to check out everyone's elligibilty for benefits? Weed out the scroungers and make them work for a living instead of making people like me and you pay for their new carpets and washing machine.

Just to show how idle he is - I recently did the gardening at the front of our house. In between the two were a row of wild rosehip bushes - they were his! I spent 5 hours outside while my other good neighbours looked after my kids for me and made me cups of coffee while I painstakingly cut back and dug up the bushes. I could barely move this morning for it. Did he make me a coffee? NO! Did he ask if I wanted a hand?? NO! Did he just sit inside watching me struggle like buggery?? YES!

I rest my case. Consider my spleen vented, and thank you for taking the time to read this incredibily long moan!


***UPDATE****

Would you believe it, they're on the move again! And again, the Council are paying for it! Again, nice little cushy set up with a nice two bed house with see view.

Me? We face yet another winter freezing to death because we can't afford to put the central heating in that we
bought last year for £120 to do ourselves.

Summary: