The cost of travelling to work is becoming unsustainable

old boy

Grandeeod wrote: »

I'm the poster who said that and I stand over it. While your analysis of how it works is pretty much correct (I was only giving the quick version) it does happen and I have witnessed it. There is widespread fraud being committed with disability benefit.

As for depression and suicide, please do not use these issues to try and shame me. I'm the last person to downplay depression or indeed suicide. Its the **** that defraud the system who downplay it.

to get db for depression one has to pass rather stringent medical tests, by experts, they can tell from a mile if one is taking the proverbial or not, so please refrain from making such acessments

Chuchote

Pensioner friends in London are able to avail of free travel. It's a different system from here, but they can avail of it.

However, this thread seems to have diverged from the cost of travelling to work to another of those "The poor have too much money, damn them" threads, so I'll say goodbye and unfollow at this stage. Good luck with solving the travel costs problem; my only suggestion is to buy a bike, get healthy and save a fortune.

Chuchote

Pensioner friends in London are able to avail of free travel. It's a different system from here, but they can avail of it.

However, this thread seems to have diverged from the cost of travelling to work to another of those "The poor have too much money, damn them" threads, so I'll say goodbye and unfollow at this stage. Good luck with solving the travel costs problem; my only suggestion is to buy a bike, get healthy and save a fortune.

Grandeeod

old boy wrote: »

to get db for depression one has to pass rather stringent medical tests, by experts, they can tell from a mile if one is taking the proverbial or not, so please refrain from making such acessments

Well you can sail away in your perfect world. I've witnessed the fraud in terms of suicidal tendencies and depression. Im not some youngster making a throwaway remark. I don't say things like this lightly.

Grandeeod

Grandeeod wrote: »

I'm the poster who said that and I stand over it. While your analysis of how it works is pretty much correct (I was only giving the quick version) it does happen and I have witnessed it. There is widespread fraud being committed with disability benefit.

As for depression and suicide, please do not use these issues to try and shame me. I'm the last person to downplay depression or indeed suicide. Its the **** that defraud the system who downplay it.

I work in this area . It is virtually impossible to get Disability benefit for depression and other mental illnesses ....its very very rare and only exceptional cases would be considered. Being suicidal is not enough to get DB and as previous poster said it takes minimum 20 weeks and several medical reports, consultants psychiatrist letters etc. It is also very much harder now to scam the SW system. Fines are huge (this week alone one person was fined €60k for being on the wrong SW payment).

Sweeping generalisations all over this thread from people who know very little and have experienced even less in life . Be very thankful - it could all change overnight ......even if it doesn't some day you will be old ......and very grateful for your €219 a week.

Mortpourvelo

Deleted User wrote: »

I work in this area . It is virtually impossible to get Disability benefit for depression and other mental illnesses ....its very very rare and only exceptional cases would be considered. Being suicidal is not enough to get DB and as previous poster said it takes minimum 20 weeks and several medical reports, consultants psychiatrist letters etc. It is also very much harder now to scam the SW system. Fines are huge (this week alone one person was fined €60k for being on the wrong SW payment).

Sweeping generalisations all over this thread from people who know very little and have experienced even less in life . Be very thankful - it could all change overnight ......even if it doesn't some day you will be old ......and very grateful for your €219 a week.

Yes, because EVERY person on SW gets only 219 per week.

SMFH

pilly

Deleted User wrote: »

I work in this area . It is virtually impossible to get Disability benefit for depression and other mental illnesses ....its very very rare and only exceptional cases would be considered. Being suicidal is not enough to get DB and as previous poster said it takes minimum 20 weeks and several medical reports, consultants psychiatrist letters etc. It is also very much harder now to scam the SW system. Fines are huge (this week alone one person was fined €60k for being on the wrong SW payment).

Sweeping generalisations all over this thread from people who know very little and have experienced even less in life . Be very thankful - it could all change overnight ......even if it doesn't some day you will be old ......and very grateful for your €219 a week.

Sorry sweetmaggie, didn't really want to get involved in this one but I personally know a good few addicts who have bus passes and I've never had the neck to ask them why. Is addiction termed a long term illness?

Mortpourvelo

Mortpourvelo wrote: »

Yes, because EVERY person on SW gets only 219 per week.

SMFH

believe me - and I am speaking from personal experience here - nobody would choose to be on SW. You constantly stress about money, you watch every penny, you have limitations. The longer you are on it the less chance you have of getting a job, you get depressed, lack motivation, become embittered, feel cheated by society and circumstances, your attitude changes, you are in a vicious circle that's very hard to get out of, you become depressed.

I was one of the lucky ones. I lost my job, studied, became involved with less well off people in society through voluntary work and changed careers (after about 2 years of bits and pieces of work and extremely low self esteem). I see life from both sides. I see the frustration of the middle income tax payers, squeezed for everything (I was once one of them) but I can also see their prejudice and biased views of unemployed people. I work very hard now, very long hours, with the most difficult of cases and I thank God I was one of the lucky ones. You would not want to be some of the people I work with, jobless, homes being re-possessed, loss of hope, drugs, drink, suicide, very poor health, now way out. The same people come back in time after time, never really getting ahead, maybe for a few months then things fall apart and its back to square one.




(Being on Job Seekers does NOT automatically open the door to Rent Allowance, Medical Card, and never free travel, and if someone is on Disability Allowance believe me they are entitled to it. It is extremely hard to get onto this payment now and the checks are very rigorous. If you cannot accept there are some people in society who will always need the support of social welfare through unfortunate circumstances of birth and never getting a good start, lack of education, poor health, etc then you have very blinkered view of life)

pilly

Mortpourvelo wrote: »

Yes, because EVERY person on SW gets only 219 per week.

SMFH

No in fact some only get 188! And no other allowances.