Same Old Torys

[steveL]

The DWP's latest figures show that sanctions to punish disabled ESA claimants had risen by 470% in 18 months, from 1,096 in December 2012 to 5,132 in June 2014.

According to DWP figures released as the result of an FoI request, 62% of adverse ESA sanction decisions in the first three months of 2014 were made against people with mental or behavioural problems (9,851 out of 15,955).

The calls for transparency from the DWP come after a number of reports of the deaths and suicides of vulnerable individuals after adverse benefit decisions.

David Clapson, 59, a former soldier and type-1 diabetic, died in July after his benefit was cut. Clapson had no food in his stomach, £3.44 in the bank and no money on his electricity card, leaving him unable to operate his fridge where he kept insulin.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/14/dwp-inquiries-benefit-claimant-suicides

[Lucy Lass-Tick]

Hasn't it been said that you can judge a society by the way it cares for those who need help?  If that is the case, then God help 21st century Britain - or is money the only god they recognise?

[DRiddle]

Hasn't it been said that you can judge a society by the way it cares for those who need help?

I don't know about that, but certainly has been said that you can judge a society by observing it's prisoners. (By Dostoevsky I think)

Which should prove an interesting hypothesis to test sometime toward the middle of next year... 

[gmeasor]

This lecture gives some startling information about the top 1% and since 2010 the rich getting much richer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvCL-c1swk