News Article

I read a news article today passed on to me by friend. This gentleman had major brain surgery and the DWP expected him to go back to work 2 weeks later.

pa.press.net, Updated: 03/08/2010 06:56
Brain op man told to return to work
A man has received an apology after his benefits were stopped by officials who he claims told him he was well enough to return to work just days after having brain surgery.

Bryan Haigh, 50, from Leeds, underwent the major operation to remove a tumour from his brain on July 20. He said bosses at the Department for Work and Pensions decreed in a letter dated July 22 that he was officially fit to work and they could stop his £65-a-week benefits.

But a spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Having reviewed the case, we have arranged for Mr Haigh's Employment and Support Allowance to continue. We have contacted him to apologise and inform him of his future payments. If anyone is unhappy with a benefit decision they should get in touch with Jobcentre Plus, and we will look at it again."

The next thing they will be trying to force me back to work. There is already 2.5 million people not working in the uk, if they dpeople who are to sick to work where are they saving money in the end.

Update

Again I reapplied for Disability Living Allowance at the middle rates. Again I have been turned down. In basic terms because I have coping methods it makes me less disabled. They don't take into account I can never work again.

I have also lost some of my housing and council tax benefit. They seem to let Asylum seekers have no trouble having money, yet people who have lived in the country all their lives get shafted. In London an asylum seeker gets paid £2000 a week in housing benefit, after being moved from a house only costing £800 a week housing benefit because she didn't like the area. I am not a racist but they need to think about the people in this country who need help first before helping others.

There is people who get high rate disability for having an addiction or just being depressed. If they have an addiction surely giving them more money gives them more money to spend on it. If someone is depressed, they should go out and get a job perhaps that would stop them feeling so depressed.

I have been told by people to stop complaining and be grateful for for what I get. If I could work I would are they or anybody out there, willing to find me a job that I can do for 3 hours a week for a full weeks wages then I would work.

I read in a news paper about a war hero who lost a leg. He has been told hes not entitled to some benefits. This is completely wrong. He was fighting for our freedom he deserves all the help he can get.

This government and the last seem to think if you can cope your not entitled to help. It needs sorting!

Helping Other People

If a person has got something to offer no matter what the age of the person then they should do so. We can all learn new things from each other. I have been reading a 14 year old girls blog about her life with Neurofibromatosis.

Her blog is refreshing to have a younger persons view on the condition. I like to share information with as many people as possible. That's why I started this blog. If one persons views are changed by it then I'm happy. You can learn just as much from a young person than an adult.


I have been getting negative opinions about my disabilities. The people in question seem to make comments without doing any research of their own. If I make statements or say something I always research it first to make sure I have my facts right.

It is dangerous just to assume something is right in your eyes. If someone is going to comment on someones way of life, they should make sure they have the facts first. You can do more damage just speaking without thinking than just taking a moment to think before you speak.

Headway

Headway is a fantastic organization.  When I first had my brain haemorrhage they came to see me in hospital.  They offered great support to me and my family.    I was visited in hospital by one of their staff Sue Hannam.  She helped me to get Disability Allowance forms filled and gave me the opportunity to do different things.

After I left the hospital I attended Headway House 1 day a week.  They encouraged me to try new things and teach me basic skills like cooking and craft.  They also help people build up their confidence.  There is different types of brain injury and some people are worse than others. 

I met many different people during my time there.  Each one of them has something to give to society.  It helped me to learn to accept people for who they are.  Headway provides a range of staff and volunteers who all have different skills. 

They encourage people to try new things and to try to do things for themselves.  This is good as it helps people to regain their independence. 

Headway send some of the clients to college courses in partnership with local colleges.  This is very successful and again gets people to meet others.  I did courses myself on cooking how independent living and one where we went out to different places each week.  This was a help to me and stopped me becoming isolated. 

When my time came for me to leave Headway House.  I was appointed an outreach worker Padma Ram.  Again she helped me to fill in forms and help me find some volunteer work which I still continue to do.  They also offer support in taking you to appointments and explaining things to you that you are having difficulties in understanding. 

Headway signed me off their books as I was managing on my own.  Recently they have got back in touch and they will be coming to see me again with a new worker Nicola Rowe.  They said that even though I am coping I could do with a little more support. 

I am really thankfull for the support they have given me an will do so in the future.  Headway see their clients with brain injuries as human and treat them with dignity. 

Prejudice

Last night I had a conversation, well I was given abuse by some woman.

She said that because the government have decided that I'm not entitled to the right rates in her opinion I'm not disabled. She seems to think that because I can type I can work.

If I was fit to work I would be by now. Its not that I don't contribute anything to society because I do. I volunteer at a lunch club for pensioners. I may not be able to contribute financially but I try to do my bit.

There is different types of disabilities out there, some people can go to work with some you cannot. Would people rather everyone worked and ended up even more sick and costing more long term?

Just because a person looks normal on the outside doesn't mean everything is ok on the inside. I have stated before that I have a brain injury. If did try to do a full time job I wouldn't last a week. When you pass a person in the street you don't know if they are disabled or not.

It frustrates me when people have the negative attitude against disabled people. Especially when they don't work themselves. I was dating someone after my brain injury and the girls mum told her she had to end it as I wasn't good enough cos I couldn't work. This was from a single mum who hadn't done a days work in her life.

Why should disabled people be treated like second class citizens?