Letter to Evening Standard - Incapacity Benefit

 Dear Sirs, 

It is entirely misleading to state people "withdrew their claim (for incapacity
benefit) rather than face assessment" as the Standard does today. 

Large numbers of people have claimed incapacity benefit for short periods of
time and may simply have returned to a state of health which enabled them to
return to work. 

It should also be noted that people under the Labour government, myself one of
them, were actively encouraged to apply for Incapacity Benefit rather than Job
Seekers in the event they had any disability or condition, as it would
facilitate the provision of support for any needs you may have. 

There was a culture under the previous government that having a long term
health condition meant you shouldn't work. In fact, suitable employment can be
extremely rewarding for many people, unhindered by their conditions. 

To imply that people are dropping out simply to avoid an assessment, for which
you have no evidence, is insulting and continues to perpetuate the myth that
people with health needs are "shirkers" and "scroungers". And we're not. 

If I wanted that malevolent opinion, I'd read Murdoch Press. Come on, Standard,
you're better than that! 

Kelly-Marie Blundell
Lib Dem Disability Association Vice Chair
PPC for Guildford
Social Liberal Forum