11 July 2010

My Family - disability benefits travesty

I watched the latest episode of My Family last night, the one where Ben is mistakenly paid disability benefits; an error he begins by trying to rectify, but ends up enthusiastically colluding with, as more help comes his way, culminating with a highly covetable disabled parking badge.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry – there were lots of genuinely funny moments, particularly around notions of PC vocabulary. “I am not disabled” protests Ben, to which the social worker assessing his needs immediately agrees, assuring him that “we never use that word either”.

Harder to laugh as within the space of 24 hours, he was assessed for and provided with a power chair and a whole range of equipment to adapt his home. Anyone who has been through the process of applying for a needs assessment, and then waiting for necessary adaptations to materialise, will no doubt have cracked a wry smile at that one. Power chairs are not exactly lavished on hopeful recipients, either.

I must confess that, despite the laughs along the way, my final thought was that a lot of people who haven't had personal experience of disability and the support that may or may not be available would assume that a mobility problem was the ticket to generous financial and practical support, and a source of nice perks, which the rest of the population has to do without.

I hope I'm wrong, especially at a time when everyone is casting about for ways to save taxpayers' money, and disability benefits have been highlighted as one of the key areas to try and make savings. We've already seen the ILF (who support independent living for people with serious disabilities) run out of money, and while I am entirely in favour of as many individuals as possible being encouraged/supported into work and away from dependence on benefits, hacking away at the fragile structures currently depended on by some of the most vulnerable in society doesn't seem like a positive step forwards.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your comments and ideas – about the future of disability benefits generally, or this distorted portrayal of the situation in particular.
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21 comments:

  1. I think we should just lighten up. It's a comedy programme, not a documentary – surely people are smart enough to tell the difference?
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  2. it depends. i know some one near to me who claims all benifits etc, he is entitled to claim,
    he has a bad back injury, and so gets quite a lot of pain,
    but every 2x months see him , working on his car, and also giving a car a full service inc brakes , which means a large amount of bending etc,
    but yetit has taken me 4 years to get a stair lift and a wet room, even though i have had 2 strokes and 4 tia's since 2004.
    on morphine for pain management etc.

    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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  3. Didn't see my family, but from the description wouldn't it be nice if everyone who was actually deserving of the help and support got it that quickly!
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  4. i did not watch my family but i did read about it.
    i find that the system helps people but i also know people who to me who has to use a wheel chair and i am disabled who gets every thing it took 6 years to get my house done so i can move with out any trouble which i paid half towrds but not to far away got every thing but is not ill it seems so unfair that some people try to play the system but the real ones that are suffering have to wait and suffer
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  5. As we know, comedy exagerates the the facts, but this is unfortunately an accurate exageration as there will be many people out there milking the system to obtain as much as possible wether needed or not. This will be done at the expense of people who are in desperate need of equipment and will have to wait longer than they should.
    Of course this happens in all areas of state benefits not just disability equipment.
    Lets hope the new coalition can come up with a solution to this increasing problem.
    On the matter of "My Family" it's one of the funniest programmes I watch, even if it does touch a nerve now and again!
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  6. As above, I didn't see the programe either, but I agree this is just a 'comedy programe', but if it makes people talk about the problems and brings this more into the open, all the better! My father just can't get the proper seating, lifting equipment or Staff that he needs(within his care home or before when in hospital). The whole system is just laughable!! except its your father that is suffering......
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  7. I understand it is a comedy show and things were exaggerated but, if it was that easy to get equipment i.e. wheelchairs etc, the honest disabled person would be very happy. Its bad enough being disabled but to have to fight for everything you need (not want)wears you down. It takes years to get help, yet I see people who claim to be disabled, and aren't, get things they don't need and you can't have. Still, that's life!!!!
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  8. Regretably the general public are woefully ignorant of the reality to many of the subjects portrayed in the various media. Many will have seen that programme and believed it to be an accurate reflection of real life for the disabled.
    The media use many subjects to engender either laughter or a sense of outrage (or both) and because of a lack of publicity of the real situation viewers and readers just believe what is put in front of them as the truth for all.

    I didn't see the programme but I wonder, did it have that well known phrase at the end "If you have been affected by any of the subjects in this programme please contact XXXXXX"
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  9. Irene RobinsonJul 12, 2010 04:05 AM
    I have been disabled walking with calipers and crutches as a result of polio since I was two years old and the numbers of people on disability benefits really annoy me!

    I worked all my life and had two children in spite of my disability and I totally agree with making it much more difficult to get benefits as this would actually give people more self-respect, social contact and a sense of usefulness than the current system. Also many people on these benefits are not even physically disabled e.g drug addicts, the depressed etc and they should be helped over their problems and then become part of the working population not relying on others to work and pay taxes to support them.
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  10. I did not see the show but being disabled is no joke when you have to rely on other people's help.

    If you running any kind of campaign i would be very willing to help.

    Jimmy Deuchars
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  11. I'm suprised that Little Britain hasn't been mentioned yet.
    I would have thought that all abled bodied people thinking that wheelchair users can just jump out and run around when nobody's watching would have been far more offensive!
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  12. There seems a general opinion that it is difficult to obtain 'all' that disabled folks are entitled to. I became disabled last August - had excellent support from social workers etc. from within Glasgow Spinal Unit (the praise for them is almost without ability to express) where I was being treated. I came home Feb. this year and have had nothing but 1st class help from my local social work in the Scottish Borders who were tireless in my support. Everything I needed for my house conversion was completed within 2 months. There are a few loose ends which are being actively chased by my OT. The government web site displays all of the benefits available to me of which each have been applied for and are being processed I easily found numerous independent web sites giving all the advice and contacts needed for disabled people to get everything they are entitled to. I thank God I live in the UK anywhere else does not bear thinking about. Personally I now find being disabled reveals too many thin skinned people ready to criticize the services in place which are trying to cope with a huge number of diverse conditions being bombarded at them. Obviously there are disabled folks in situations where all is not well but taken as a whole I think we have a great deal more to be thankful for than that which is appreciated. By all means weed out those abusing the system - any section of the system but lets give credit where it is due. When there are problems it seems to me they are due to the budget problems of particular areas and there is not a lot that can be done, it's unfortunate - I would not like to be 'one of them' but it's not the 'systems's' fault.
    No - it's no fun being disabled but thanks to the local services and many others such as Idepenent Living it is a 'life - a decent life' that without them all - quite frankly suicide would be the choice of many.

    Hugh Lovatt - Scottish Borders
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  13. Hugh

    Without wishing to become embroiled in the rights and wrongs of it, Scotland gets more funding per person from Westminster than England so this may be why you have had your needs met.
    The hospital OTs were only interested in getting my wife home, not in liasing with anyone for her future needs. The Social Services OT was very good but because I have an Army pension when the means test is applied for the Disabled Facilities Grant my wife is entitled to nothing, we have to pay for everything if it is above £1000.
    She has had help through other people. Her wheelchair came from the hospital via the district nurse, as did her hospital bed but we had to pay for her stair lift.
    You may have had excellent service but regretably this is not the experience across the rest of the UK.
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  14. I believe that there is a serious risk of the term 'disabled' becoming devalued by overuse and then the people in real desperate need of equipment having to wait for months or even years for vital aid. How is it that on one day a major employer in a small town or village closes down and the next day half the population are claiming disability benefits? Something is very wrong about this.
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  15. I felt that from the show that some people may get upset, I took the funny side and hoped that through humour this strong value being discredited could have some PR
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  16. It is sometimes good to read of the disability of others, whilst remaining affected by their plight, as, for myself, it puts one's own difficulty into proper perspective. What concerns me at this time is the proposal of placing funds to G.P.s instead of the NHS. What may we be facing in the future - and how good is your GP? How good is mine?
    May God Bless and keep you as content and comfortable as you can be. Basil
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  17. I recognise many of the attitudes in "My Family" - which made me reflect on my own experience.

    You get lots of help when you don't really need it - like mini ramps, milk crates etc.

    You can't get the local authority to fit an accessible shower because (a) you might have some savings and (b) You have to have their idea of health and safety wet room which costs about £6000 and you have absolutely no choice in the matter. So you have to pay yourself, about £2000, in the hands of an unscrupulous plumber.

    What I really need is a second wheelchair I can keep in the car, or a really light wheelchair that I can lift - but they don't exist or they cost over £1000.
    But there isn't any point in asking...
    But the wheelchair service I do get for the one chair is brilliant!!!

    But recently I have been very un-mobile and the kindness of strangers has been amazing.

    And the blue badge IS wonderful.
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  18. I just saw the pro. Iam disgusted with it cuz genuinly people with their ability not able to work under their health condition are get refused and then they have to prove hunderds evidence in writing and practically for help from Gov.This is far from reality.

    Just taking the mick. Not impressed
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  19. I m disable and my shower was not working. I request the Social servies in my local council to provide me or lend me Bath Stool which will help me to wash myself in tub for few days BUt i was refused and advised to BUY it from mobility shop. The family pro was far from reality.
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  20. It just about sums up NHS when they will give someone who isn't disabled a power chair but not someone who needs one, cos they can't manoeuvre it around their house easily cos of angles of doorways. A FWD would do it but they are not standard issue and the won't give one here unless you need to use it around your house full time as well as outdoors.
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  21. Trish from AustraliaOct 20, 2011 07:26 AM
    I just found this blog after watching the episode in Australia. We get UK shows months after they air over there, so it has only been shown very recently where I live.

    I googled because I wondered if it could possibly be that good in UK for people with disabilities. I knew the short time that it took for him to get everything was ridiculous, but just wondered if you actually get all those things done for you that are mentioned in the show.

    In Australia I know of many people on waiting lists for months or even more than a year for a suitable electric wheelchair, and unless you are a quad you generally won't get an electric wheelchair at all.

    There are people who are unable to shower themselves who only get 2 showers a week (3 if they are incontinent) and things like that.

    @ Irene Robinson - lucky you being able to get and keep work. That is not the situation for all of us and just because we may even have the ability to work - it doesn't mean that there are jobs available that have accessability for those in wheelchairs, for example. Some people have good and bad days too, which is not much good for the ability to keep a job and be a reliable worker.

    Being on crutches is not the same as being in a wheelchair, and just because some make it - does not mean we all can. Just like in the able bodied community, there are always unemployed. Your comments come across as very judgemental - and to someone like me who is devestated by not being able to hold down a job anymore - it is a real kick in the guts. It is bad enough copping abuse and judgement from able bodied people - we don't need it from other people with disabilities.

    In Australia the government are kicking people under 35 of disability and onto unemployment if they decide that they can work 8 hours a week. This is a loss of $120 per week for people - many of whom struggle to cover their medical and other costs already. I predict many more suicides - which I believe have already begun.
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