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Sick note culture


Banker

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Just now, Banker said:

I’m sure we all know a few people who constantly abuse the system but remarkably recovered after interview with doctor or social services eg carrying bags of shopping for miles, hiking etc. is there a major problem here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

A lot of what you say applies here, and remember that ex MHK Chris Robertshaw tried to address this issue, but sadly made a complete dogs breakfast of things. Many who can’t work could work with the right support, encouragement, carrot and stick and incentives. 

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Benefits are far to easily accessible. For some, they have no intention of working. There are also those who refuse to work a full week as it affects their benefits. How many times do you read in the paper about a drunk troublemaker getting fined then paying £10 per week out of benefits. They had no trouble finding the money to get drunk in the first place...

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I know GPs will 100% just sign off on someone's claim they are depressed or with whatever longterm ailment they think they have that will allow them not to work.  It's easier and quicker for them to just agree it, kick them out the door and then get the next patient in. 

The issue is the difficulty firms have proving and actually getting rid of these people that are abusing the system.  Some of them will have people on their books for years that came in long enough to complete probation and then just disappear on longterm sickness.  

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2 hours ago, Passing Time said:

Benefits are far to easily accessible. For some, they have no intention of working. There are also those who refuse to work a full week as it affects their benefits. How many times do you read in the paper about a drunk troublemaker getting fined then paying £10 per week out of benefits. They had no trouble finding the money to get drunk in the first place...

Claiming benefits doesn’t necessarily mean not working.

Not many people could live on statutory sick pay for long.  Isn’t it less than £100 a week?

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58 minutes ago, Anthony Ingham said:

Thanks

So £104 a week short term and £139 a week long term.

Thats hardly likely to make many people consider giving up work

Well there's Disability Living Allowance and Housing Benefit on top (potentially) but your point stands. 

 

 

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When I was on long term incapacity benefit for CFS/ME a brilliant scheme was mentioned to me which I took up. Permitted work which meant you could keep your benefits and earn up to £150 a week to help get you back on your feet. It was a godsend and thanks to a brilliant employer who was onboard it worked out. Helped my mental state. my self worth and to this day  while  still having the health issues , I haven’t looked back . I would never have took advantage of the system as it’s so not me and as said above benefits are so hard to live on. Yes I did it but wasn’t easy. But equally I would say it shouldn’t be. The thing is get yourself back in work. It is doable .

Edited by Numbnuts
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4 hours ago, Banker said:

I’m sure we all know a few people who constantly abuse the system but remarkably recovered after interview with doctor or social services eg carrying bags of shopping for miles, hiking etc. is there a major problem here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

My wife is a teacher and she has never taken a day off ill unless she genuinely had a sore finger or thumb, 

Pick on another industry.

What is your involvement in the 2008 banking crash?

I would bet zero as you were only filling cash machines with notes out the back of a G4S van.

 

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9 hours ago, Banker said:

I’m sure we all know a few people who constantly abuse the system but remarkably recovered after interview with doctor or social services eg carrying bags of shopping for miles, hiking etc. is there a major problem here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68853166

Not sure where you're going with this but it won't be good for poor people. Doctors aren't the only health professionals who can issue fit notes. They can't issue a fit note over the counter, there has to be a medical assessment of the person. The fit note cannot be job specific it is concerned with the persons ability to do any work at all. The fit note has to acknowledge if the person could do any work at all with sufficient support, and that potential support has to be clearly set out.

Of course Sunak is after sick people, it's a well worked political trope helped by a persistent public perception that there is much more benefit fraud than there really is. About £4billion a year is wrongly claimed as benefits, of which £1.6billion is over paid in error and reclaimed by the Government. Its about 2% of the total benefits bill. Every penny of that is wrong, especially given that a lot of that is the work of organised crime gangs. The UK Treasury itself estimates that it loses seventeen times as much in tax fraud. Not tax evasion, but tax fraud. Mind you tax fraudsters are often well turned out and talk properly. 

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On 4/19/2024 at 10:43 AM, Banker said:

is there a major problem here.

Here's actual data on the issue as it relates to the Isle of Man: https://taxpayersalliance.im/isle-of-man-benefits-over-time/

In short, for the period from 2016 to 2021, there was a big increase in people receiving Disability Living Allowance, and a big reduction in number of pensioners receiving Income Support payment.

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