Mark Pilkington, I Feel Your Pain [Benefit Busters Episode 2]

Having watched Benefits Busters last night I really felt for Mark Pilkington who got the job with the landscape contractors. Did they give him the job because the cameras were there?. It was so disheartening when he got the letter saying that his hours were being reduced. I really felt his pain. He wanted to work, you could see when he had been in the job a short while what a difference it was making to his life and the relationship with his Wife, he made the effort and now he his back to square one again.

The programme said A4e were paid for Mark being referred by the jobcentre and then I would imagine a4e would probably be paid again when he got the job at the contractors. Now Mark is back to square one again will he get referred back to a4e again? easy money if you ask me, no wonder Emma has that smug grin when she was being interviewed for benefit busters and i would have that smug grin after getting a multi-million contract from the DWP. I mean Emma's alright, arsehole to everyone else, show me the money! Does Emma care about someone like Mark?

Even when she was being interviewed she didn't even let the interviewer finish his question and kept saying, yes, yes, yes, yes and grinning.

Can someone tell me what was all the making of models with cardboard and sellotape got to do with looking for a job?. How demoralising. I mean my kids come back from school with models like that and this company is being paid to do this.

Lets see what happens next week with the sick and disabled.

ta ta

Brain blogger

How Can You Prove That You Have Epilepsy?

I went away on a holiday this week but I forgot to take my medication with me, shit like this happens I forget things. I sat on the train going to London and I suddenly realised I had forgot my medication. I phoned my GP surgery as soon as I could and they said that I should temporarily register with another surgery which is the normal procedure. So I walked into the nearest surgery and I could not believe it when the receptionist said to me "I don't think we can help you very much unless you can prove you have epilepsy".

I mean how can you do that then? If I don't have any tablets for a while I could give you a ringside ticket when I do have a fit. I mean should I wear a t-shirt saying "I have epilepsy and I have been on the medication for almost 18 years". I did see a doctor eventually after waiting for over an hour and told him my predicament, gave him the number of my GP of which he phoned and he then gave me a prescription.

I have been thinking about having a t-shirt printed soon because my head injury is invisible and it affects me every day but it doesn't mean though that I am lazy or don't want to work. Any ideas?

Its Not My Fault Theres Not Enough Tanks In Afghanistan

I love this comment I got in my comments box the other day, its just typical of the mindset that people think that blaming the long term unemployed and people on IB for the governments incompetence and the bankers greed:

kbo1964 said: jesus wept! i pay a fortune in stopages to support thieving scumbags!

why isn't the csa chaseing absent fathers
is this why the mod can't send vehicles to afganistan

james smith

James, I sympathise with you for paying a fortune in stoppages and the MOD not having enough vehicles and the absent fathers. I think you need to be knocking on Gordon Brown's door about this and asking the bankers these questions.

I would love to get a job but with a hidden disabilty and no work history for 10 years it doesn't really make me attractive to future employers. I do voluntary work to build up a work history and a track record and I have a good record of voluntary work and I am still trying to build myself up. Lots of people do voluntary work trying to build up there history and to try and get fit enough to get back to work but they are not recognized. As far as the government are concerned all they are doing is just sitting at home watching Jeremy Kyle and drinking lager in the morning.

I want a job as much as anyone else, it would do wonders for my mental wellbeing and I would stop worrying about the nasty brown envelopes. I go to the jobcentre hoping that I can get somewhere but I afterwards I feel more depressed than before I went. I am so disillusioned. All they want me to do is apply for low paid jobs that are unrealistic and have no real prospects.

All the government and the Tories according to this article in the Times want to do is kick as many people off IB and onto JSA so they can save money. Will the jobcentre be able to cope?. Kick the 2.7m off IB onto JSA and you get 5m unemployed and then you will still be paying for me probably in higher taxes to pay for JSA.

see ya

DLA & Benefit Busters

The possible threat of the withdrawal of DLA is worrying as I am a recipient of DLA myself. it looks like it is just another way of this damn governments no more benefits campaign and make sick and disabled peoples lives more difficult and back to the 1800's Poor Law.

It just seems to me just lately to be an all out attack on the vulnerable/the unemployed and people who don't have a voice to support them. I have already added my name to the Benefits and Work DLA & AA campaign which can be found here

I must say I really can't wait to watch on Channel 4 Benefit Busters , no doubt another program aimed to put benefit claimants in a bad light. No doubt the sick and disabled will feature in the series somewhere. We shall wait and see. I am appalled that such programs are put on our screens for so-called entertainment. I saw that it features A4e which you can read about on the newdealscandal blog

ta ta

brain blogger