The Mirror reports on below knee amputee Barbara Bowers, who has had her benefits reduced because she is "not disabled enough."
I've never received disability living allowance because it was clear from the application form that the benefit is intended for people with much more serious conditions than mine.
And I'm certainly not going to complain about being "not disabled enough."
I've never received disability living allowance because it was clear from the application form that the benefit is intended for people with much more serious conditions than mine.
And I'm certainly not going to complain about being "not disabled enough."
posted by Stuart at 09:48
3 Comments:
As you seem to understand very well, disability isn't defined by what you've got but what you can do with it. And what other people allow you to do with it for that matter.
The Department of Work and Pensions are probably 100% right on this, but the journalism is a little black and white (to say the least!)and it's certainly possible that a 50 year old mother of 4 has more disability-related issues to deal with than a 33 year old.
But that's by the by. The main issue is that it's not a very helpful portrayal of disability. Is Barbara Bowers a self-pitying scrounger or a poor dear who needs a handout being screwed by the Government? Deserving or not deserving? The moral majority (or at least those who read the Mirror) shall judge.
Phil
Firstly DLA is open to any one with a disability who feels that their disability is placing extra financial burdens on their lives.
The disability can be severe or minor, mental or physical; it just has to be in one of the officially recognised categories.
But seriously what is with the relativist attitude towards the mother?
If you chose not to claim DLA due to the fact that you felt that you’re disability did not merit it that was your choice.
Nevertheless that does not mean that she or anyone else with a similar or lesser disability is not entitled to claim, not every disabled person can exercise that freedom of choice.
She is cited as an ex-nurse, and may have also relied on the money to maintain a decent living standard for her children.
Also like Phil says we don't know her full medical history, she is a 50 year old mother of 4. While from what you have told us, you seem to be a healthy man of 33.
Her attitude towards her disability maybe negative and excessive but the reduction in her benefits caused her enough anguish and worry for the future that she contacted the newspapers, who then for what ever reason did run her story.
Sally
In defence of Stu, he has seen the DLA format (as I have) and may have inferred (as I do) that it isn't any more sensitive to the needs of a 50 year old parent than a 33 year old fancy free (nearly said footloose) bloke with less worldly commitments. There isn't a means-tested element and the bulk of it is focused on individual-type tasks like "do you need any help getting out of bed".
It sounds like you're familiar with the format yourself Sally so I won't rattle on. But my guess about this individual (or any other BK amputee) is that she was lucky to have got it in the first place in terms of the rules of the benefit.
It just illustrates the need for a disability benefit system that is a little more means-tested and a little less impairment-based. But that's probably easy to say and hard to deliver.
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