Petition to stop anonymous tip offs to the DWP — Scope | Disability forum
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Petition to stop anonymous tip offs to the DWP

alisonj
alisonj Community member Posts: 2 Listener
Hi everyone! 
Im new here but have been advised to post about my petition on here so here it goes.. 

We’re calling on the government to stop anonymous tip offs to the DWP. Most of the tip offs received are incorrect allegations and cause a massive detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of the person accused, especially to those who are already disabled/chronically ill.

Over the year 2016-2017 nearly 174,000 allegations were closed and 149,450 (86%) of tip offs were incorrect allegations. 

Over the financial years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 332,850 cases were closed following reports by members of the public (of benefit fraud). Of these 287,950 were found to have no or little evidence to substantiate the claim (87%) 

We need to stop the culture of hunting out benefit fraud, as most of the time the allegations are incorrect. Going through this process has a detrimental effect on disabled and chronically ill people’s mental and physical health. 

We believe that if the public are to remain involved in reporting on alleged benefit fraud then they should not be allowed to do this anonymously and should have to give at least their name and national insurance number. This will help to make people think about their actions before picking up the phone, will help to reduce bogus allegations, and will make improvements to this culture of thinking people on benefits are scrounges and that disabled/chronically ill people are faking (when in fact they are probably faking being well most of the time). 
If someone is found to be a serial malicious reporter then they should be fined and banned from giving tip offs again. 
The general public have a slim view and understanding of what disability/chronic illness ‘looks like’ resulting in more reports of benefit fraud and disabled/chronically ill people being scared to leave the house for fear they’ll be reported increasing isolation in communities and fears that your neighbour is spying on your every move. 

Let’s stop feeding this narrative. Please help us make some positive changes to the benefits system. 
Together we rise!


Here’s a link to the petition: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-anonymous-tip-offs-to-the-dwp-1


And some articles of interest: 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/01/spy-on-your-neighbour-britain-demonisation-benefit-claimants-disabled-people


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-fraud-public-tip-offs-legal-action-police-no-evidence-dwp-work-pensions-department-a8144096.html


Thank you for taking the time to read this!


Alison 

Comments

  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    How would this work? They'd just give fake details.
  • alisonj
    alisonj Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi!
    we’re proposing that people using the ‘tip off’ service would have to give their name and national insurance number and they would have to match up so that they wouldn’t be able to give fake details. 
    If someone is giving a valid ‘tip off’ then they shouldn’t mind having to give some details. The details wouldn’t be made public, but would be kept on record by the DWP. 
    Hope this helps,
    thank you for reading it 
    Alison 
  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    But if they know someone elses details, they could just use them.
  • crazylegs84
    crazylegs84 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    i agree nystagmite it is risky but if you are disabled then you have nothing to worry about cause money shouldnt be your main worry your health should and do people know if you are getting dla i think it will probly cause more problems giving others names cause the people who out to cause trouble for genuine disabled people are sick but the disabled person will still get there money but there is people out there claiming dla and nothing wrong with them so it seems a very tricky one

  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    Tricky is the word, we all know of benefit cheats, those claiming DLA on behalf of their children who can manage fine on their own and when they move over to PIP at 16 will not get an award. Claiming carers allowance middle to high rate when the child is left to look after their selves. They have been claiming for years but there is no check up on DLA until now they have to move to PIP. Most are genuine cases but some or a lot claimed DLA many years ago and could have stopped but carried on the gravy train being paid for bo no caring having holidays and claiming other benefits which became a perk with DLA.
  • crazylegs84
    crazylegs84 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    very true wilko i think if you are disabled you have nothing to worry about maybe inconvience till its proved but being disabled or very ill it should be about your health and life not money and as you say there is a lot of people getting it when dont need it and ones who do need it cant get and eventually there wont be enough money for pip/dla for the genuine disabled persons if these fraud ones arent stopped

  • Geoark
    Geoark Community member Posts: 1,463 Disability Gamechanger
    @wilko yes we 'all know someoneone' and 287,950, or 87% of tip offs got it wrong!

    DLA and PIP are very different benefits with very different criteria so hardly comparing like with like. Many adults are struggling with the transition from DLA to PIP and and 65% are successful on appeal - this includes both paper decision and where the person has attended the appeal, it is much higher among those who attend the appeal. The many issues with the PIP process is well documented and therefor not a fair judgement if someone has been lying.

    As an individual I stood alone.
    As a member of a group I did things.
    As part of a community I helped to create change!

Brightness

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