Your Letters - August 2009

The unemployment spiral

Regarding “Work and the Inclusion Illusion” (Disability Now, June 2009), my epilepsy is controlled with daily medication and I’ve been looking for a new, full-time, paid job for over seven years.

I feel that employers and employment agencies alike just don’t wish to take me on, or that they’re afraid to see me in work. I once had what I thought would be a comfortable job with an engineering firm but they made me redundant in 2002 and I haven’t been able to get myself a permanent role since then.

It’s depressing. I’ve registered with many different agencies and I’ve called them repeatedly to ask about vacancies, only to be told “No” over and over again.

When I did get interviews I kept getting turned down and when I asked why, it was always the same thing: I’m too experienced or I’m too highly qualified.

My feeling is that they only make these comments to avoid having to deal with my epilepsy.

Recently I started being told that my experience wasn’t up to date, but that’s not my fault: it’s the product of the way I’ve been treated.

Firms turn a blind eye, or a deaf ear, to disabled people like me and I’m appalled by it.
Terry Stevens, by email

Just the odd job

I’d like to compile a list of disabled workmen because I think they’d be more trustworthy and do a better job for disabled customers than non-disabled workmen. Does anybody else think this is a good idea?
Julianne Thompson, by telephone

No exceptions

You’re at it again, not letting facts get in the way of a good story (“Remploy’s Bonus Bonanza Blasted”, Disability Now, May 2009).

Why do we spend so much time and effort campaigning for mainstream education, employment and the right to run our own lives, and then, when the word “recession” comes round, we start worrying about, oh dear, Remploy factories!?

Why should segregated workshops be more protected? I’m disabled, as are many of my colleagues, and we keep our jobs by making sure we give the market what it wants. From my perspective, the big six charities and Remploy factories have far too big a slice of the cake anyway. Were their resources given to user-led organisations and were Remploy encouraged to focus on supporting disabled people into mainstream employment rather than segregated workshops where disabled people remain cosseted for years, you’d have more disabled people in work at less cost and we’d all have far greater opportunity to manage our own affairs.

Come on, Disability Now: campaign for change, not for the status quo.
Hughe Gunn, by email

‘Carer’ claim concern

The article you ran on “carer” abuse (“Open to Abuse”, Disability Now, July 2009) was actually about “care worker” abuse. I believe the term “carer” is enshrined in law as belonging to those of us who’ve taken on an unpaid caring role. In my own case, I’ve given up my nursing career to be a full-time carer and I found your article most distressing. I know there are many others on the Carers UK forum who feel as I do.
Jane Sanders, by email

Your article “Open to Abuse” (Disability Now, July 2009) doesn’t reflect the nature of the services that the Isle of Anglesey County Council provided to Miss Rylett. A full multi-agency investigation, including health officials, the police and social services, looked into the incidents to which you refer and no evidence of abuse was found. The care provided at the centre Miss Rylett referred to in the article has been praised by the vast majority of its users and their families. Our staff here on Anglesey are dedicated and take pride in offering a high quality level of care to our customers.
T. Gwyn Jones, Acting Director of Social Services, Isle of Anglesey County Council

EDITOR’S RESPONSE
We didn’t single out any particular group of people providing care in our piece, nor did we specify the nature of any relationship in any cases. Regardless of terminology (people who care are variously referred to as “carers”, “care workers” and “personal assistants”), the 2009 study by University College London that Cathy Reay cited in her piece found that over half of adults with dementia were mistreated by a family carer, through neglect, theft or physical or emotional abuse.

Cold blast of reality

I don’t want to get political, and I agree that the subject of the winter fuel allowance has to be addressed by all political parties, but there’s little that can be achieved when these parties are all convinced that the best way forward is for every disabled person to go out to work.

It’s currently 26 degrees Celsius outside, I had to put my heating on this morning, and I’m writing this in a cardigan. It’s the hottest day of the year so far but my direct debit for electricity and gas came to £108.00 last month. There’s no difference between me (just turned 54) and a vulnerable pensioner except that they all, without exception, means test or scrutiny, get help with their heating costs regardless of their health, wealth or circumstences. The ex-speaker of the House, Michael Martin, receives £80,000 a year in pension, plus, guess what? – the winter fuel allowance.

Many pensioners aren’t even in this country over the winter months, having chosen to spend it abroad, and yet they get the winter fuel allowance too. Some ex-UK residents who live in warmer climes permanently are also entitled to it. As if he doesn’t get enough, the ex-Chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland has his pension topped up by it, as do the Queen and Prince Philip. The list goes on and on. Well, good for them.

I’ve written and spoken to MPs who agree that it’s wrong in principle but don’t think disabled people are unfairly treated because we’ve got the disability living allowance (DLA) to help us. Unfortunately in my case, there are no expenses to fiddle, no second home to go to, no jetting off to warmer climes. I just have to sit and shiver.

How many disabled people under 60 will die this winter because of fuel poverty and hypothermia?

Officially none, because they’re not included in government statistics. Pensioners can bring a government down, you see; disabled people apparently can’t. It’s a scandal.

DLA increases haven’t even begun to match the spiralling cost of living, let alone the cost of being ill. We have to change the Government’s views on this.
Anthony Smith, Duxford, Cambridge