DWP staff — the incompetence and sadism

Stephen Mann
Jul 30, 2017 · 2 min read

OK so after 17 months I’m on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and I get £76 a week after deductions for electricity and gas and minor things.

Tomorrow is 1st Aug 2017.

I’m in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) which means I have to attend regular meetings at the JobCentre+. I should be in the Support Group which is not required to attend meetings.

I’ve been telling my Work Coach for 11 months that I am a recovering alcoholic and I have 15 identified mental illnesses such as extreme anxiety, severe depression, paranoia, apathy (a word new to her), suicidal feelings, PTSD due to an extraordinary 7 years of crimes against me etc.

Oh and with all the religious terrorism, suffering and crime in the world I know there is no hope for humanity. I’m an atheist. There is no purpose, only a chaotic biochemical soup out of which a cruel order has emerged. I am embarrassed to be human.

Last week I had to call an ambulance. The crew told me to stop drinking. I did. Now my mind is a lot clearer so I am ready to fight the DWP again.

Weeks ago, I told my Work Coach I was approaching the point where I would be physically and mentally unable to leave my home. She said I had to attend a WRAG meeting. I said she would have to send the police round. My neighbours would kill me, so I asked if I could have a meeting at home. She finally admitted the DWP have a home visit team. Cool. I agreed with her and her boss that they would visit me.

Then I got another letter saying I had to attend the meeting. What? I rang and her boss said “Just ignore it”.

The home visit guy came round and gave me some useful numbers, with a note reminding me (I have almost no memory) to attend my meeting.

He left. I staggered (completely sober) to the shop 300 yards away. I had to sit on some concrete steps and ring a taxi home. My legs won’t walk. My arms won’t lift.

I decided to buy a wheelchair. The supplier said it will arrive on Tuesday — the day I have to go to the JobCentre+ meeting.

So now I have to ring them and explain that I can’t make the meeting.

If they say I have to go, I will try. If I collapse and die, they’ve won. And so have I.

Watch this space. My secret weapon is that I can declare myself suicidal and the police will shove me in a mental wing somewhere.

Stephen Mann

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