The Lords' partial defeat of the bill was crucial, but sick and
disabled people still face challenges in getting their voices heard
Rachel Graham
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 12 January 2012 10.53 EST
A protestor at the Hardest Hit demonstration against the changes to
benefits last May. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian
This week has seen a crucial fight to stop draconian changes to
welfare that could have a disastrous effect on the lives of many. The
Lords partially overturned the government's push for time-limited
support for those on contributions-based employment and support
allowance (ESA). This would have meant the loss of benefits after 12
months for all claimants put into the work-related activity group
(Wrag).
While the extension of the time limit to 24 months is heartening, it
still represents an absolute cut-off point. Unfortunately, some
long-term, chronic conditions tend to get worse as people's health
deteriorates over time. To end financial support at two years will
leave many chronically sick people without a safety net. Many
thousands of sick people still face being placed into the Wrag by a
flawed medical test currently in use to assess them, and therefore
still face a time limit to benefits. We need to keep fighting for a
better and fairer medical assessment =96 one that takes into account the
views of our medical professionals and doesn't override them.
The Spartacus report showed that the government ignored key criticisms
of the proposed welfare reforms and that campaigners need to keep
highlighting this. Alongside this, the pressure also needs to be kept
up with regards to time-limiting ESA payments: sick and disabled
people who have paid into the system should not be forced into
reliance on family by the loss of independent income.
The problem for a lot of us with chronic conditions is the fluctuating
nature of our illness and the variety of symptoms. I suffer with
ME/chronic fatigue syndrome, and the changing nature of my condition
continues to take me by surprise.
One of the hardest things to accept about being ill is the sense of
failure it often brings. I feel it every time I miss a social event;
every time I have to ask someone to take me somewhere; every time I
can't do something as simple as walk my dog. Having an independent
income is vital to hanging on to some sort of tattered shred of
dignity.
It seems, egged on by the media and government, that we're all medical
experts now. Many of us think we can judge the "deserving" sick just
by looking at a person. I'm sure that many people who saw me on a good
day, makeup on and having a coffee, would think me quite able to work.
They wouldn't know that I'd been up the night before in chronic pain.
They wouldn't know that I have facial pain due to nerve damage, as
well as bladder problems and almost daily nausea. I recently went to
my sister-in-law's wedding: it was a wonderful night but I paid for it
by spending the next week in bed. Anyone who saw a snapshot of me that
night would think I was well. They wouldn't know that I missed my
brother-in-law's wedding two weeks later, or that I spent all of
Christmas and New Year huddled on the sofa. Some illnesses are less
visible than others, but it doesn't mean those with them are fit to
work or any less ill: voters and politicians alike need to understand
that.
Campaigners face a real challenge in getting their voices heard,
particularly in the mainstream media. But this week's events show that
it can be done, and I'm so grateful to all those =96 such as Sue Marsh =96
who have campaigned tirelessly. I'm going to fight to get my voice
heard too. I'll be tweeting, joining the Broken of Britain and doing
everything I can to highlight what sick and disabled people are up
against. The fight isn't over yet: the government announced on
Thursday that they will take the vote back to the Commons.
Right is on our side, this isn't the way any civilised society should
treat its most vulnerable members.
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