http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2206976/Job-Centre-Plus-Paralysed-teen-life-support-birth-told-prove-work-lose-benefits.html

9 comments

Preshous

22 Sep 2012

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...

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elian

22 Sep 2012

I feel that the Daily Mail is, once again, over dramatising matters a little.

The DWP have sent out a stock letter, which says the young man MAY have to attend an interview with regard to his benefits, not that he HAS to. It's not surprising that a stock letter has been sent out as it would be almost impossible for the benefits department to study each individiual's case notes before doing so.

I'm sure that once this person's circumstances are explained, he will continue to receive benefits. I also noted that it was reported that his mother had complained that her Child Benefit had been stopped. Everyone receiving Child Benefit will know that on a set date this benefit stops and it wasn't unusual that hers did, and certainly not cause for complaint.

I have every sympathy with this family, but do feel that there circumstances were being 'sensationalised', something the Daily Mail is becoming increasingly good at !!

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jojam

22 Sep 2012

I quite agree with you Elian, the Daily Mail & other papers print sensational headlines without actually reporting the the facts in an accurate way. MAY does not mean he will have to attend an interview. This indead is a standard letter, once they receive the said medical certificate there will no doubt be an individual more peronalised letter. I would very much doubt that he will need to attend for assessment although he may well be assessed at home to verify that the claim is not fraudulant. I too have every sympathy with the family but for the system to be fair these checks need to be made in all cases.

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elian

22 Sep 2012

Ooops !! I have a spelling mistake in there........ sorry :(. The last paragraph should read "... but do feel that their circumstances ........."

I wish there was a 'preview' button before we actually press the 'submit' button !

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Preshous

22 Sep 2012

Kind of brings the whole impersonal way the DWP work. What a sad country we live in.

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Preshous

22 Sep 2012

I think If you read the letter from the DWP you will see that they acknowledge the father as being "power of attorney" so I think it is fairly safe to assume that the DWP would be aware of the child's condition and as such a more appropriate "Personal" letter would have been in order. Courtesy costs nothing,or it never used to. Just my view.

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dinnyrayner

23 Sep 2012

Very true , there are some cases that , although have to be verified , should be treated with a litlle respect . None of us want to feel like a piece of meat though . xxxx Dinny xxxx

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Yamir

23 Sep 2012

How a department re act when they get the answer to a standard template letter would appear the prudent approach, while all must be asked to find out the situation it would be a newsworthy item if he had attended an interview or heaven forbid been found fit for work.

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Bumley

23 Sep 2012

Its not for nothing that the Daily Mail is nicknamed The Daily Wail. Typical lazy tabloid reporting. They are just as bad as the DWP for a lack of real communications. The worst part is to be at the receiving end, how stupid can this bloody system be.

The DWP clerks that handle this type of reply use standard templates which they input alternative paragraphs to suit. They never see the end result it goes to a central printer and enveloped into a bag for the post office. All they have in life is to move stuff from the in tray to the out tray. Its government they are not in the business of caring.

regards

David

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