It could happen to you!

I have to ask myself why no one seems to give a crap about the Welfare Reform Bill when it so could easily affect anyone at any point in the future.  If you get ill in any shape or form you will have your sick benefit limited to 12 months, that is of course if you are actually classified as sick enough to get it.  At the end of that 12 months you will be entitled to means tested benefits.  Now this sounds very reasonable until you discover that if your partner or parents, whoever is looking after you, earn more that £7,500 you won't get benefits. 

£7,500 pa coming into your household and you will not get benefits to help support you when you are sick, after the first 12 months.

What bit of this information doesn't anger you?  You pay National Insurance for this and you only get 12 months of ESA before being left to fend for yourself.  Now before you say that "both me or my partner earn enough to support our family after 12 months" I want you to think about some of these costs that arise when you are sick.

• Additional heating costs because you are at home all day and unable to move around very much and your circulation suffers.  You really feel the cold so not only is the heat on all day, it is at a higher level than it is now.
• Trips to see specialists in another part of the country costing £100s a year either in petrol, train or hotel costs.  You often have to stay in a hotel before or after the appointment because you can't manage the journey both way in one day.
• A step to get into the bath, a seat for the bath, a handle to help you get in and out of the bath.  A perching stool to help you if you are able to manage cooking.
• If you can't manage cooking, your food bill will go through the roof because your partner will be doing a full day at work then will come home and have to help you, and do all the household chores before thinking about cooking.  Believe me, your need for easy ready meals will increase significantly.  (Some people have to buy special food because of their conditions, or they will die.)

These are just some of the more obvious things that nearly all sick people will need to consider.

You think it won't happen to you.  I certainly didn't.  One day I was fit and healthy and the next I was in hospital having surgery.  I thought I would be back at work within a few months - 10 years later I'm still sick and NOT getting any better.

IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME

There are so many illnesses that you have never heard of that you could get.  There are many ways to injure yourself when you are otherwise healthy that can have a impact on you for the rest of your life.

You may not care what happens to people who are sick or disabled now, but maybe in 3 years time you will be sick or disabled, or someone you love will be.  Think about how you would cope if that happened and then think about the Welfare Reforms that will leave you high and dry.

Please sign this petition and then tell everyone you know to do the same.  This is going to happen in a couple of weeks time unless we can stop it. 


Please, Please, Please think about what WILL happen if you or a loved one got sick and then help us to get the word out NOW before it's too late.