How to maximise my income?

[Bellenden Belle]

dulwichdahlia Wrote:

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>

> You yourself have made no comment at all about the

> subject matter, which is important to all of us,

> and highly topical, but simply posted lengthy

> personal abuse.

My post - which was a mere two lines long - did not personally abuse you... I am not sure when the suggestion of a cup of tea and a walk could be construed as such. I was making a gentle observation that your posts seem a little strange - as has been noted by a number of posters of this thread. You are - in short - ranting. And the question is what is your agenda here? What are you hoping to gain through posting? I'm not attacking you - merely curious.

[dulwichdahlia]

That's correct, Keef. DLA is not a means tested benefit, and everything Sharon said about it is wrong.

Firstly, Sharon's claim - verbatim here - DLA is related to incapacity benefit - is completely wrong. DLA is not connected to Incapacity Benefit in any way. As you rightly say, DLA can be awarded to people who are working full time and is not related to what they earn. It was introduced to compensate anyone who has a disability, regardless of their circumstances, for the inevitable extra daily living cost that the disability causes.

Incapacity Benefit is what people get if they are agreed to be too sick to work, short or long term. We all pay for it through our NI contributions.

Sharon's second claim that people on Income Support don't get DLA is also completely wrong. I have posted the references, to show that she was wrong, above.

Sharon's second post also gets the facts completely wrong. DLA does not "come after" Income Support, for the reason already mentioned. They are two completely different types of benefit and there's no order for claiming them.

Income Support does what is says, it is means-tested and is payable to people who have very low savings and no or minimal income. A person may get IS first, because they are unemployed, and then claim DLA, if they become disabled, or they may already be receiving DLA and, as you say, in full time work, and then if they become unemployed, for whatever reason, they may claim IS as well. There are lots of people who get two of these benefits, and I am told it is possible to get all three.

I don't think you are actually reading my posts. Very clearly, I am not criticising sick and unemployed people, or those who cannot work because they are carers.

I'm criticising the hardened organised criminals who target this system to steal every penny they can from it, over long periods, by lying and cheating.

The first group - the ill and those who support them - is now going to suffer more than ever, because the government is having to bring in quite drastic measures to try to stop the criminal fraud and an attitude of suspicion hangs everyone - even if you really have an incurable, terminal illness, you will have to jump through the same hoops.

It's quite interesting to see the response to this, it's looking like a taboo subject - don't discuss the subject, a little mobbing and insulting of the person who wants to raise the "elephant in the room", muddying the waters.

Very interesting, personally, to have witnessed the extent of the fraud that goes on and the open toleration of it. I was going to say that there's a huge waste of dramatic talent locally, as the acting involved is truly impressive - but then I suppose the criminals make a great deal more than most actors do.

[DaveR]

Yeah, but what's your point?

[Strawbs]

DaveR Wrote:

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> Yeah, but what's your point?

Exactly what I was thinking.. I keep waiting for it and it seems to be nowhere..

I 'grassed' someone to the social that I know for a fact is a benefits thief and the council did f*ck all about it.. Went and had a pre planned little meeting with the benefit thief, made her sign a dec to say she wasnt a benefit thief and off they went never to be heard from again..

Clearly there is a flaw in the system..

[Moos]

Dulwichdahlia, I would first like to say that I am not criticising you, nor disagreeing with your dislike of fraud, and I hope that my post is not off topic.

You have raised the issue of fraudulent benefit claiming. While there have been as usual a few flippant comments - which are very much in the spirit of the EDF, and best taken on the chin in my view! - generally, I think the response has been one of bafflement. But while you have not said this directly - and I may therefore perhaps be misreading - you have implied that as a community East Dulwich is ignoring or belittling or even sheltering benefits criminals. I can state categorically that I personally am not.

Unless you have any evidence that this is going on, I honestly don't see the debate you are trying to raise. Do we think benefits fraud is bad? Yes. Do we know of any criminals ourselves whom we have not reported? Well, I don't think so. If I'm wrong, then we have a topic to discuss. Please advise.

[Keef]

What Sharon said wasn't incorrect as such, but incomplete. The fact is, you can get DLA if you are on Income support, incapaity, or working full time. It is not linked to any of them, and you don't get it because you get any of them. I am pretty sure though that you can get an extra suppliment if you are on higher rate DLA, but it's been a while since I got involved in the murky world of benefits (on behald of a client, not for me), that I can't remember for sure.

Have to say though Dulwichdahlia, that your posts seem to be having a dig at someone specific, and Sharon was justified in saying what she did, because your earlier posts were like something out of the Daily Mail.

Your last post is much more reasonable (although I wouldn't say you've been mobbed or insulted), but it still sounds like you have a gripe at someone inparticular.

Here is a question for you.

The fact is, I could claim DLA if I wanted to, and I am pretty sure I could make a good enough case to get it (visual impairment). Now, I haven't claimed, and won't claim, because I don't feel I need to, but if I decided tomorrow that I would claim, as the extra few quid would be useful, would I then be a hardened criminal, or just someone who was taking a few quid extra to make up for the fact I got cr@ppy eyes?