It seems to me that if a government were REALLY keen on helping disabled and sick people be independent and help them fulfil their potential then there wouldn't be the ridiculous ESA system we have now. It is a system which actively discourages people from working, and forces people to always look to the worst situation because they live in fear of having their benefits taken away and having no income.
While there are some people who could never and will never work, there are a lot of sick and disabled people who could do a form of work give the right support and circumstances. WRAG ESA is not it. Back to work interviews is not it. ESA contributory which stops after a year is not it.
What is needed is a health support benefit - a benefit that acknowledges that someone may be able to do a small amount of work some of the time, but will never be able to earn enough to support themselves. It would be a benefit that encourages people to do some work, and tops up the income to a living wage for each individual. I say individual because at the moment if you are married, the government treats 2 people as one - if one can work full-time there is no need for the partner to receive benefits, ignoring the fact that very few couples can live on one wage these days.
A health support benefit would allow every disabled and sick person to be independent. It would give them the right to earn their own money, to not have to rely on a partner. And to make them feel that a small contribution to the working life is a big contribution for them and is backed by the government.
At the moment people are terrified to do any kind of work because they'll then be "fit for work" and all benefits are stopped. And what if it doesn't work out? They realise they can't cope, have a relapse or find they are only able to work sporadically, and they have to start the long, painful application to get benefits again.
For so many people right now it feels that anyone TRYING to work is punished. If you can work 8 hours a week, you are fit for work and need no help, when for many people that is their absolute limit and will never improve.
There is the "permitted work" and "supported permitted work" areas available now, but so few people know about them, it's even HARDER to get them and almost impossible to have it not count against you in terms of how your fitness for work is seen. And Permitted work also suffers the same ridiculous year timeframe that WRAG ESA does. There seems to be a fixed idea that anyone disabled or sick who can do a small amount of work MUST find that after a year they are improved enough to work full time, or enough to support themselves, or will never be ill again. For so many it is a much longer journey back to health than 12 months and for some it will NEVER be a journey, more a roundabout.
Now, obviously people will complain and think everyone will chose to do part-time work and have their money topped up - but it would be no different to current health benefits. Claimants must prove they are unable to work full-time, or an amount that would constitute being able to support themself. And the amount received wouldn't be riotous living, but enough to help and encourage. It would help those who want to contribute to the work-force, for their own good and that of others, even if it is only sporadically, temporary or limited, and it would allow sick and disabled people to test their limits. As it stands you have to be COMPLETELY sure you are fit enough to work to a high-standard before you can attempt it, because you know you will have to give up benefits and may never get them back - even if you realise you can't cope after 1 month.
Hand in hand with this would go finding and help with the BIGGEST block in stopping sick and disabled people working - employers. Money would go to encouraging businesses to have more job share, home-working and flexible jobs. So many disabled and sick people could work if there were more legitimate homeworking jobs.
Many healthy people don't realise the difference in doing 3 hours light computer work at home, in your bed/on your sofa/in your PJS, broken up into possibly 30 minute chunks over a day - and going into an office to do 3 hours light computer work at a desk. So many sick and disabled people the latter is impossible but the former is not. The difference in terms of energy is huge, from getting washed and dressed, to transport to the energy required to interact with people, to the fact that you can stop as needed to rest muscles, move limbs, nap, toilet or vomit breaks or simply rest your mind is the unseen parts of working life that homeworking would help.
Although more businesses are having more homeworkers, sadly it is often for people who are already employed or it exists in a way that makes them impossible for those who NEED them to take them up (ie many require full-time onsite training for several weeks, which is impossible for the people who more need these positions. And I don't just mean sick and disabled, but also carers, single parents etc).
As well as homeworkers, more business could be encouraged - with the help of Job Centre staff - to engage in job-swaps, where someone who has found a dramatic change in their health prevents them from doing their NORMAL job but they could do a job with much lighter duties. Again, some employers are great at this, but others have no choice as they have no light duty roles in their companies. The Job Centre, or the disability officers, could ensure these employees find another position in another company without falling out of work and having to rely on benefit.
In short, the benefits system needs an overhaul, we all know that but the current government's claims that the reforms they have produced are to stop people "festering" on benefits is a blatant lie. The reforms do nothing but make people live in fear and discourage experimentation and limit pushing for fear of financial reprisal that ends in destitution.
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