'Sick Note Britain'
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Is Labour right to focus on 'sick note Britain'?
New health secretary Wes Streeting has announced plans to address the 2.8 million economically inactive people. Do you support this move?
Most people have a sick note because they are ill and off work for a short time it's them that abuse the system that messes it up for the genuine ones 
Most. People who are out on the sick are generally sick and unable to work it's like some people who are disabled are to unfit for work all governments love to take it out on the sick disabled and those who are on benefits it's about time they change the record and sort out homeless NHS services and who can come and live here in the UK and get more jobs available
Leannexxx don’t forget some people on benefits are still working, just pay is sh*t and doesn’t keep up with inflation! I would much rather pay my taxes and that go towards 1000 fraudsters so one genuine person doesn’t have to go without, than cut down and risk those most in need losing out. The biggest frausdsters are the politicians themselves. Where else can you get a 3 figure a salary, bonuses, free food, supplemented travel, rent paid, and claim back on expenses, as well as a ridiculous amount of holidays time a year?!
I realise a lot of people are applying for similar jobs, but there are a lot of people not working because they refuse to even apply for entry level jobs too.
jalexboberts oh yes definitely agree with you in that fact is it's there to help people working or not
There seems to be some confusion that having to live on benefits due to illness is a breeze. Anyone can end up in that position through no fault of their own. Yes there may be some people who "swing the lead" but the majority of people claiming sickness benefits would happily surrender them if they could be given their health back. Anyone who ever finds themselves in this position thanks god that we live in a country where the vulnerable are looked after, I truly hope that this government will not penalise those who genuinely cannot work due to long standing medical conditions.
mickey3617 yeah it’s all misdirection. The people who defraud the benefits system cost this country far less than the extremely wealthy who refuse to pay tax yet the benefits cheats are all we hear about.
barhamkylie The road to recovery can be a long one. Good luck and take care.
barhamkylie ....You can't help having a Stroke, my lovely brother in law worked all his life & sufferer a stroke around 19 month ago too..
T would rather have his old life back than rely on the state...
There's so many off sick claiming state benefits so those that really can't work should be supported
TheChimp Only if you part of the LD team it seems. The OP never engages with responders either.
There are people I grew up with who have never worked in their life. (40 working yrs plus) Not unwell, sick or disabled just bone idle. Everyone knows people like this. These are the ones who need properly targeted. How have they remained untouchable for so long?
VictorMeldrew1That's the biggest problem plus generations of people on benefits.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-541598/Meet-families-ones-worked-THREE-generations--dont-care.html
What strikes me the most is this:
"The only problem is," she says without a hint of irony, "that we're living in a three-bedroom council house, which is ridiculous.
"I'm asking the council for a ten-bedroom home for all of us. We need more space. It's awful sometimes when all the children are squabbling. Still, we do have a big TV with Sky, but we need some relaxation."
Leannexxx I am not slamming those claiming benefits when they cannot work due to poor health, but those that are work shy, drug, alcohol addicts, lazy b.ms or faking disability. The help for those who don't want to work should only be for a certain time 3-6 months and you either start working or your benefits will stop. Plus JC offers free courses for those willing to go back to work. Biggest number of benefits claimants are unfortunately uneducated people and let's be honest they will not get any highly paid jobs unless they learn new skills.
VictorMeldrew1 ...I know of my sister's neighbour, he worked at CAB & drunk in local pub, he showed a friend what to do & how to act ...
That friend was laughing all the way to the pub let's just say that!
Damn right it needs to be sorted now. I have 6 children, my husband has multiple serious health conditions. Yet neither of us claim benefits, and we both work full time to support our family. Sick to death of hearing about people that make a lifestyle out of benefits.
Clearthinking Congratulations to both of you for keep on working regardless. What a lovely example you both are setting to your children that one must go out to work if able to. But I think your husband should be claiming some kind of benefits for his health conditions. I am always reading about the millions of pounds of UNCLAIMED BENEFITS that people (like yourselves) are entitled to and don't claim it.
Councils, Universities, Government Bodies and Civil Servants are the worst at playing the system. They know they can't be sacked no matter how many times they are caught out and mostly use the mental illness card to squirm out of it.
There should be a new force set up to check every case. Many are ill and do have problems and it is not fair for them to be tarred with the same brush.
If they were found out to be fraudulent they should not only lose their job but their pension as well.
You would soon notice a drop in supposed illnesses.
The same should be applied to politicians who fiddle expenses etc.
Bring on the real world of pride not scam.
As a whole nation we all know someone that is ripping off the system. In fact I do not not know of anyone that does not. The figures are so high because the system allows it to happen. There has to be a crackdown on these people who are not ill and are 100% fit for work.
I'm not sure what is going to be done. I agree with reducing waiting times to see GPs or hospital consultants. Or even if you need a operation. That way you might be able to go back to work. But I don't see how your going to do this. I don't agree with forcing people into work who are genuinely ill. People seem surprised that more people are ill since COVID. Lots of people especially over the age of 50 got COVID and still are, many died but lots have survived but now have health problems such has difficulty breathing due to lung damage. Some can maybe work part time but not full time. Some can't work at all. These people will need help financially to try and survive. I myself are long term sick. It's not a choice. I'm seen as worthless scum by society that's hard to live with. It's not easy to live depend on other people. It's not easy to worry all the time about my benefit been stopped so then my life's over with has I genuinely can't work and I can't live on nothing.
everyone is different and yes there are many people out there taking advantage of benefits and abusing the system but the vast majority of people are not like that. Its terrible that so many people are waiting for treatment on the nhs than could leave better lives and return to work. Waiting for 2 years for a hip or knee replacement that often makes a massive difference to peoples lives is terrible. Even minor ailments can have a big effect on lives so just making it easier to see a GP can help too. Mental health issues too are a massive problem which has been ignored for too long. It remains to be see how much the government can change after so many years of under investment in all our health services but I am hopeful
I think labour are definitely right to look at sicknote Britain perhaps re-examine benefits and the criteria for who is eligible. I think in the past many disabled did assembly jobs in manufacturing, typically hand assembly but there are so few manufacturing jobs nowadays. Mental health shouldn't be a barrier to work mostly but of course that depends on what mental health issue it is. As I said in the other thread 200,000 cars per year mainly imported on the mobility scheme is economic madness and should be looked at as a no.1 priority as its both expensive and does huge economic damage to this country. Just looking at this could save billions per year and a repurposed scheme only using British made vehicles and keeping the vehicles for 15 years and loaning them to the disabled would also have huge economic benefits in providing more manufacturing jobs. People forced to pay tax so disabled people can enjoy an expensive new car every 3 years under a lease scheme is just madness and deeply unfair to tax payers who may struggle to ever own a car themselves especially a new car.
It's a hard one. There's some that will use it fake it. I know if someone that pretended they needed mobility scooters and couldn't barely move. Their neighbours grassed them up after seeing them chasing their 3 year old round the garden throwing her around. Another guy where i live pretend to be blind. Someone got a photo of him texting on his while out walking. Turns out he was making it up. He had an awful reputation beforehand for being nasty. He was friends with someone known for robbing old people. What winds me up is genuine people get made to suffer while these people get everything handed to them without any questions or hoops to jump
The UK is seen as a soft touch…hence why people want to come here. Hope they sort it out
Depends.
If it's people who are genuinely sick then they should be eligible to, but with some form of verifying as a face to face talk whether in person or via the internet.
Starmer is just taking what the Con-servatives promised.
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