Reposted from the Leicester Mercury
DWP, you really are a piece of shit!
Tracy and Nick Gaskin
Nick Gaskin, 46, from Quorn, was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) 16 years ago.
He can no longer do anything for himself and needs round the clock care.
He and his wife Tracy were astonished to receive a letter from the Loughborough Job Centre with an appointment for July 22.
The letter states: “You and your personal advisor will discuss the possibility of going into paid work, training for work, or looking for work in the future.”
His wife, Tracy, called the centre to explain the situation but was told he still had to attend.
She said: “Nick communicates by blinking for yes and no.
“He has a good life but it is ludicrous to get a letter like this and to have to attend an appointment.
“When I called the number on the letter the person said if we couldn’t get to the centre perhaps there could be a telephone interview.
“Nick can’t speak, the man obviously hadn’t been listening to me.”
Mrs Gaskin said her husband had been in receipt of disability allowance for 16 years.
She added: “This is a pointless interview and a waste of everyone’s time and resource.
“There has got to be a better way. Why can’t we produce written evidence?”
“Nick was, and still is, a very proud man who would give anything to get up out of his chair and provide for his family.
“Unfortunately MS has stripped him of that.
“In the end we had a laugh about him learning new skills but the very serious side is letters like this going to people, especially the elderly who don’t have support around them.
“It is likely to be very distressing.”
A spokesman at the Department for Work and Pensions has apologised and said that Mr Gaskin had been sent the wrong letter.
He added: “We wanted to give Mr Gaskin the option of attending a voluntary ‘keeping in touch’ meeting, and we have apologised to him for any suggestion this would be a mandatory meeting.”
The spokesman said staff at the Job Centre which had sent the wrong letter were investigating how it happened.
The lovely wibbly wobbly old lady 
Reblogged this on loopeyange and commented:
Agreed – pieces of shit! – these letters are randomly sent out to people in the Support Group of ESA. The wording of these letters make you think you have to attend – these letters are cruel and harassing. I’veheard of casets where they sent these letters out to people dying in hospital – worse still, already dead. It’s quite clear enough when you get ‘awarded’ the support group ( which usually does have reviews ) that you can ask for work related activity or volunteer – these letters are unnecessary and harassing. They should be STOPPED.
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Time and time again, we see articles where “a DWP spokesperson” states that the “letters have been issued in error” but do you know what; I really do wonder if it’s part of the plan to get people off (any) benefits by any means …
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Reblogged this on UNEMPLOYED IN TYNE & WEAR.
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Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.
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