THE HULME TUNE

I found that there is new help from Student Finance Direct for those on benefits, but in some cases it is confusing. The “Maintenance Grant” is not what it seems. On one hand it helps some and on the other the Government takes it back. One of their books say that it will come off your benefit and can count as income for certain benefits like Housing & Council Tax Benefit. This grant was recently introduced, but is it a case of the Government playing Sheriff of Nottingham again?

I am pleased that there is such a grant to help the under-privileged in Hulme. I am disgusted that it will effect certain income based benefits. Why? Surely this Government could give better help for train fares, computers, software, clothes, books, materials, sustenance, etc. towards university expenses? The booklet by SFD says that it will work out to be a touch more than they get on benefit.

Student finance which Jobcentre Plus and your local authority’s Housing Benefit section counts as part of your income:

• Maintenance Grant
• Adult Dependant’s Grant

“In most cases, student finance replaces benefits..”

“Many students who are eligible for income-related benefits will find their income from student finance is higher than the amount of benefit they would normally receive. This may result in the student receiving reduced benefits or none at all.”

It’s like throwing 2p in a beggars cup outside McDonalds and saying, “Now buy yourself a Happy Meal and a hot drink!”

What do I mean?

“.. the fixed amounts not counted as income were (in 2007/8) £370 towards the cost of book and equipment and £290 for travel costs.”

‘Well, at least it’s something.’ you may say.  Let’s add up the real cost of going to a university outside Manchester.

In any university life there is the “dissertation”, which requires a laptop so the student can work from home. There are university libraries, but I cannot use a Liverpool University library card at Manchester Metropolitan University library. To use my own university library I have to go back to my university.  Which means more costs in travelling and more money. A decent laptop can cost around £600, then you need software as well.

Next is £290 for travel. At university for 2 days a week at a cost of £9.50 per day plus bus fare to and from the station that is  £23 p/w at present costs using Arriva Buses & North Western Trains. For 10 weeks at university, plus any extra days that the course demands then that £290 is swallowed up quickly.

Oh, by the way. They give you an extra £10 per week not to be taken into account. Any Maintenance Loan will not be taken into account. There are grants and there are loans.

I have met overseas students who have told me how their country or company is supporting them by paying for their flights, accommodation, maintenance support and paying their course fees in full to have university education here in the UK. Getting our education, when this Government is not investing in it’s own people. This shows that other countries are more interested the future of their people and their country’s economical growth more than the UK’s Government. Britain, shamed to say, wants to keep the poor poorer and put them into deep debt. Is this “Britishness”?

I am confused to know if Incap is income based and wondering if I would be penalised by wanting to improve my chances of work in 2012. A year after the proposed opening of MediaCity UK at Salford in 2011.

One person I know on Incapacity Benefit tried getting on a City & Guilds course at WFA Media on Lucy St. She went to inquire and found that she would be CHARGED for the course, where others are getting it for free being on certain benefits. Plus, if she was from an ethnic group it would be free also.

The “Maintenance Grant” should be given unconditionally to all on benefits who want to improve their prospect of a career by seeking higher education and should not be classed as extra income.

I hope that the “Maintenance Grant” won’t effect the money I already get, so that it will give me a better chance of getting a degree. I can focus on the course concentration and not have my head full of money worries like: “How can afford to remain on the course? I’ve been doing so well and my tutors are very pleased with my progress. Now the money has run out and I’ve got a few months left”. If that does happen to the unfortunate students it is not the end of the course, they can apply to their university’s “Access to Learning Fund” which can give them the extra help they need.  I know it feels like begging, but it is there to help and not to put the student down. In this day when people want to be more independent and feel awkward in asking for any support, it is to make sure that you can continue to study or until you find your feet.

The ‘Student Loan’ is bad enough. The grant looks great if it really is extra support that people need. The way forward is higher education, training and working with disability advisers to be able to offer something to employers willing to take us on in this fast technological age.

Thankfully, there are bursaries from the universities themselves at £310 per year and maybe scholarships. It’s a maze you have to go round and this takes up valuable time, especially when students should be studying.

I hope this blog will help those who may have considered higher education, but was put off by serious debt worries and hardship through university life.

What if all this money replaced benefits and all the student was left with was a little extra than normal? Then would this come under the rules of the grant and not the DWP? Technically, as I understand it, you basically sign off to go to university. This could mean that you can now take a p/t student job, low payed as they are, and have some extra money for term-time. Not a lot, but something to spend on new clothes or music or dancing at the Students Union. Then in Summer you can sign back on, it is allowed. Seeing that they won’t force you to look for work, it will take you through to September again.

In 3 or 4 years time what would you be doing? Sat around the house bored or receiving your degree with a better chance of gaining employment? Go for it!

At one time the Government would throw money to people to help them come off benefits. Now we are treated with contempt.

Seriously, it takes a person in power, educated unto ignorance, to come up with the stupid rules which effects those on Incapacity Benefit living independently and wanting to do permitted work.

This Government says you can earn up to £81 a week for 16 hours and not effect your Incap. It seems a good deal.. doesn’t it? But, when you look into it more, you find that this Government takes it back, all but £20 or £5, by stealth again for those who rent their homes.

Yes, I would get to keep the money and benefits; but Housing and Council Tax Benefit is reduced so much that, after working for 16 hours, I would only get to keep £5 after paying FULL rent and Council Tax (don’t remind me). What a load of b*****it.

How dumb can you be and still breath? Which Bright Elected Representative Kingpin (BERK) in the Government stopped any incentive for me, who’s on Incap, to do any paid p/t permitted work at all?

£5 FOR 16 HOURS IS SLAVE LABOUR - WHERE IS THE INCENTIVE IN THAT?

Perhaps this money that this Government gets back goes on MP’s second homes - new kitchens for all + new chandeliers + cleaners + decor+ landscape gardening + maybe we are paying their Council Tax + window cleaning + new fitted carpets + expensive mahogany furniture and 4 poster beds for all 4 or more bedrooms? While some of us on Incap are still trying to keep one single roof over our heads and wondering how we make ends meet! Is this where some of the duty on fuel is going?

Any jobs going in Parliament? I could do with 2 homes and being chauffeur driven or helicopter to work.

Why doesn’t this Government do something more constructive and not obstructive - change this stupid rule?

Bailiffs from Manchester City Council called at my door while I was out this morning. They want to seize £112.33 + costs in goods. This is supposed to be unpaid council tax. As a person with a disability, I am still trying to pay my council tax bit by bit as best I can out of my benefits. Yet, the heavy handed council wants blood - my Hi-Fi at least. It’s not the council’s fault though. It is the way this Government treats those who are poor by reducing Housing and Council Tax benefit and causing more hardship.

Under New Labour, fuel prices in gas and electricity have risen and benefits rises have not taken these sharp rises in to consideration for those who rent property. To cap it all, New Labour have reduced H&CT benefits, so that councils are forced to charge Council Tax to those who are on Incapacity Benefit. This makes life more harder for those who are mentally ill, injured or have a disability effecting the type of work they do.

As far as I know,H&CTB is means tested. Which is a convenient way of this Government taking back some of the money its paid to the poor. It’s like giving aid (which benefits is) to poor people over-seas then charging a hefty export duty and fee on the food and shelters. Instead of money they take the food back and replace it with cheaper unhealthy out-of-date products. This is what happens when our benefits are reduced by stealth! Where do we get the money from? Steal, beg or wait for repossession?

If the bailiffs take my computer then I’m not able to pursue my dreams of getting back into work through the voluntary work I now do. No PC - no reports (radio and website).

New Labour also has prevented those wanting further education to get into university and do media courses by charging the FULL price for lessons.

So, which is worse - New Labour or Conservatives?

If the bailiffs break the door down - how will I pay for that?

They had better be careful, as some of the stuff I’ve got doesn’t belong to me and if they take that then they are stealing by robbing other people’s property.

I don’t even remember it being this bad, not even under a Thatcher Government.

Open wide your wallet, if you’re on Incapacity Benefit, when you first visit an NHS dentist. But why? Because this Government has made it more difficult for us genuine Incap claimers to get free treatment.

This is discrimination!

When I eventually found a “willing participant” (NHS dentist), they go and hit a nerve by extracting £15 from my wallet for sitting down for 2 minutes. But I’m on benefits - I protested. The receptionist told me that this Government changed the rules. So that now, us Incap claimers have to apply for a free treatment certificate.

This meant that I had to pay £15 out of very little and go without just to satisfy a Government that wants to pay £160 per MP per day for just turning up at the Houses of Parliament. In real terms that is nearly my fortnightly money and they get that a day for doing nothing. Then they get paid £60,000 p/a for closing down a primary school in Hulme after promising not to, not policing our streets at night and taking money back off drug addicts that would probably steal the deficit or have to have another sex customer at 1am.

Then they wonder why crime as gone up! Why do MP’s dream of such demoralising schemes?

Can we pay this kind of MP £200 a day just to stay at home?

I asked the receptionist could they wait until I got the certificate. People on other benefits only have to tick a box and they can walk out. “No” was the reply. I had to pay £15 and then go beg outside McDonald’s, so I could feed my Council Tax demand and 3 utilities.

Did I complain? Too right!

When I did complain to Tony Lloyd MP, his secretary was very very arrogant and rude towards me. Next time I’ll have video evidence. She raised her voice and talked over the top of me when I was telling her what the problem was with this Government. Then she said that they are not the Government. Could have fooled me? Then she treated me with contempt. Me, a floating voting mail elector in their constituency, treated like sh**. But we voted her party in. Well, someone did. I tried to vote for someone else, but had a problem with the mail-voting system - I forgot to post it.

This is how we are treated by this Government, as 3rd class citizens. No free education at all - we have to beg for it. Free NHS by redemption & certificate. That’s how I see it.

1-in-5 they say. Good! That’s a 5th of the voters that can change the Government and bring about a positive attitude towards people who are sick and even more stressed by this discrimination.

Someone get me a Human Rights lawyer - please?

- by Paul Summer

A good headline, don’t you think?

I received a letter this morning telling me that unless I attend an interview at Alexander Job Centre they will reduce my benefit… and we wonder why crime is on the increase. The Government by doing this forces good abiding citizens to resort to breaking the law because they take money back off the poor, sick and disabled. I, like many other Incap claimants, are not eligible to work that’s why we are on the benefit we are on. This is backed up by our own GP; but MP’s, who think they are more qualified than GP’s, say differently.

So, how shall we break the law to get our money then Mr Tony Lloyd? Shall we beg? Steal? Do we starve while the Government mispends millions?

It’s like the Government putting a gun against my head and saying, “Attend this interview or we will starve you to death!” That’s right, any reduction in my benefit will effect my health as I won’t be able to buy food!

Interesting. When I rang the JC+ at Alexander Park I told them that I had just come out of hospital after a hernia operation. Fiona Burnside then asked me to get a letter from my GP why I could not attend. Ridiculess, I’m not a bloody child! A letter to excuse me from some interview? I told her to contact the Greater Manchester Surgical Centre - she refused. It was a letter from my GP or else!

What? GP’s don’t do letters unless they charge for them. Doctors are very busy people and to take time away from treating patients is time that could save a life. Does this Government not understand the pressures GP’s are put under? Every minute is important to health care in Britain, without taking them away to write a letter to the JC+ because of some over zealous Secretary of the Department of Work & Pensions is trying to force sick people to work - whip us why not?

This Government has set up unworkable unhelpful stupid rules to oppress the poor even more. I’ve had enough stress and anxiety this week and now its the Job Centre’s own insensitive rigid rules.

LEAVE ME ALONE TO RECOVER!!!

Do disabled people not have the same rights as those on other benefits to 100% Rent & Council Tax Benefit?

On Wednesday 9th January BBC North West Today & Tonight did a report about the 1 in 5 people in the NW who claim Incapacity Benefit and are stereotyped by the Government as lazy system fiddlers. They came and filmed me speaking about my view. Even though the report was good, I felt I needed to say more about my experiences and frustrations about the Government’s treatment of us.

Many of us, who have disabilities/injuries and claim Incap, are living productive lives and do voluntary work - unpaid work - when our disability/injury allows us, to keep charities running. In simple terms, we suffer this exploitation to help our communities and our country. We could stay at home and do nothing! Millions of people wouldn’t even dream of working for free - when did Gordon Brown do any volunteering this year? When did David Cameron help his local community unpaid and not for publicity or political gain? So, please do think about that.

I, myself, volunteer (when I can) for the British Red Cross, ALLFM and this website - I put back into my community when the pain is less noticable! Why doesn’t this Government reward us instead of punishing us? Why don’t they give us help with education, training, resourses, expenses and any needed equipment? They could reward us for attending educational courses and training. But, they rather punish us and make us 3rd class citizens and make us suffer even more.

All this I do so I can gain confidence, help towards my recovery, manage my disability and hopefully get back into full time work and contribute to society.

Stepping Stones may help those who are already trained, but I find they are of no help when needing training. That’s my finding. All this Government is interested in is keeping their figures down and they don’t care how. Statistics, are we? Human being, I am! This Government just wants to brag about how they got people off Incap into jobs, low paid minimum wage posts, and they, like David Cameron, just doesn’t care how they accomplish it. EDUCATION, RESOURSE, UNIVERSITY POSTS, REAL PROPER TRAINING, EQUIPMENT and FUNDING is the answer.

HOLD ON! Are you 18-24yrs..?? “No?” What a pitty, as the Government is throwing millions at the young; at the same time the older disabled people, who’ve contributed to this country, are put on the shelf to collect dust - well, left to sweep it up in a dead end job. Isn’t there “Age Descrimination” now? Government exempt again from that one?

Even Government training initiatives are not working. Another image for the press as the MP’s all smile. “Look at us, aren’t we great at forcing disabled people down another dead end street” Then the scheme ends, the Government takes our money away and we still don’t get the opportunities - no experience, certificate or college not recognised. Still, I’m not relying on this or any Government… I’ll make it wether or not!

This is my reply blog:

BBC NWT reply blog

Oops! I said, “restrict” instead of “un-restricted” when mentioning education and 15 hours.. sorry!