I Daniel Blake

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I Daniel Blake

I have just watched this film and found it a very hard watch, very sad & upsetting, bought tears to my eyes.

And no I am not a softy, and nor do I claim to be a hard man, I am human just like the people portrayed in the film.

What is the country coming to when we let the establishment do this kind of thing to people?

Sad times indeed
 
A very powerful film. Tears & anger for me. My experience with the jobcentre a number of years ago (although I was in nowhere near as desperate situation) made this hit home.
 
I saw I Daniel Blake on a flight to Antigua.......slightly incongruous I know....but a very powerful and emotional film, despite the surroundings and the destination. My wife saw it on the way home and found it equally emotive.
Highly recommended film.
 
A monster calls got to me

My kids are in that! (as extras though).

I've got I Daniel Blake to watch, and Ive got a feeling I'm going to get angry and upset about it.
Also have the Killings of Tony Blair lined up on Netflix too.
 
I can't bring myself to watch it. I know I will get upset and angry too. I watched Kathy Come Home again a couple of months back and that had me in tears again. Another film I've not been able to watch is The Boy in Striped Pyjamas. :(
 
Haven't watched it, but remember the boys from the blackstuff was quite harrowing despite the amusing parts.
This sort of thing shouldn't happen in one of the richest countries in the world.

Feel the same upsetting sentiment when I place a couple of bits in the food bank collection box at the local supermarket.
People needing a food bank so they can have a meal in a first world country, a national disgrace
 
Boy in striped pyjamas I thoroughly enjoyed that (as a film, obviously).
I wonder why I see the two differently? One as a film, and another as a portrayal of life.....
I suppose it's because IDB is so recent, and is still happening :(

Never watched Kathy Come Home, will have to google that.
 
Haven't watched it, but remember the boys from the blackstuff was quite harrowing despite the amusing parts.
This sort of thing shouldn't happen in one of the richest countries in the world.

Feel the same upsetting sentiment when I place a couple of bits in the food bank collection box at the local supermarket.
People needing a food bank so they can have a meal in a first world country, a national disgrace

The irony of those trollies does annoy me sometimes. The fact they're placed after the checkouts in supermarkets. I get the idea and I support the donations and helping others 100%, but it screams of corporations cashing in sometimes...as in 'lets make it easy for them to donate so we can make money out of it'.
Why don't they sell products at cost to customers wishing to donate to food banks?
 
The irony of those trollies does annoy me sometimes. The fact they're placed after the checkouts in supermarkets. I get the idea and I support the donations and helping others 100%, but it screams of corporations cashing in sometimes...as in 'lets make it easy for them to donate so we can make money out of it'.
Why don't they sell products at cost to customers wishing to donate to food banks?

Best one I saw was when an errant Tesco employee put the box for donating pet food to Wood Green Animal Shelter before the checkout.
Never seen it so full, overflowing with the finest quality stuff they had, lucky old mutts and moggies that week
 
Hahaha thats brill. Bet he got a right b******ing though!
 
I've downloaded it. I haven't steeled myself to watch it.

After my Dads experience at the hands of an Atos assessment a couple of years ago i suspect it'll be difficult watching
 
Haven't watched it, but remember the boys from the blackstuff was quite harrowing despite the amusing parts.
This sort of thing shouldn't happen in one of the richest countries in the world.

Feel the same upsetting sentiment when I place a couple of bits in the food bank collection box at the local supermarket.
People needing a food bank so they can have a meal in a first world country, a national disgrace

I remember well The Boys From The Blackstuff, Yossa Hughes I think coined the phrase "Giz a job" Some things don't seem to change for some people.

I wholeheartedly agree with you that things shouldn't be this way in a wealthy country yet people still deny its happening. How can they? You hear people say "oh they use foodbanks because they're free" it's not as simple as that. Access to foodbanks requires a referral from a GP, Social Worker, DWP or the likes, how degrading it must feel to have to go begging for food to feed your family. The worst thing about it is that many users of foodbanks are actually working people who are on pi$$ poor wages.

The fact that many people who are comfortably off just close their eyes to the problem and blame the recipient for their own predicament really gets my goat. There is a saying that anyone is just a few pay chequers away from welfare:(
 
I've downloaded it. I haven't steeled myself to watch it.

After my Dads experience at the hands of an Atos assessment a couple of years ago i suspect it'll be difficult watching

Sorry to hear your Dad was unfortunate to have to deal with Atos. They like Capita and Maximus have a reputation for extremely poor treatment of claimants.
 
Sorry to hear your Dad was unfortunate to have to deal with Atos. They like Capita and Maximus have a reputation for extremely poor treatment of claimants.

Thank you.

After a lifetime of working and contributing the Atos assessor hadn't even heard of my Dad's neurological condition.

Admittedly his condition is very rare and in probability the chap in the street probably hasn't heard of it but the chap on the street isn't conducting a benefit assessment. Still angry about his treatment and honestly lost as to how you assess a condition you've never heard of
 
I chose not to watch it as I've seen the same in reality too often and i despair at how such can happen in the 21st century.
I don't think we live in a civilised society as yet and have a long way to go before such is achieved.
 
The irony of those trollies does annoy me sometimes. The fact they're placed after the checkouts in supermarkets. I get the idea and I support the donations and helping others 100%, but it screams of corporations cashing in sometimes...as in 'lets make it easy for them to donate so we can make money out of it'.
Why don't they sell products at cost to customers wishing to donate to food banks?
Or refund them the cost of their purchase. Fat chance!
 
Thank you.

After a lifetime of working and contributing the Atos assessor hadn't even heard of my Dad's neurological condition.

Admittedly his condition is very rare and in probability the chap in the street probably hasn't heard of it but the chap on the street isn't conducting a benefit assessment. Still angry about his treatment and honestly lost as to how you assess a condition you've never heard of

I believe the assessors are health care professsionals and can be doctors (fewer of these) nurses, physiotherapists or paramedics, I'm not sure if any other discipline is represented. It is indicated that they are given "some" training" in disability awareness and training in how to assess how someone is affected by their illness. I can't seem to find out just how long this training is but believe it has been said its a couple of weeks but I'm not sure. I would say as a retired nurse there is no way on Gods earth I would consider a role with one of these companies. I think they shame the profession.
 
A number of years ago i was on benefits between jobs. For some reason i didn’t receive a payment so called the benefits helpline. They said i had to go to my local job centre. So off I went to the local job centre - guess what - they said i needed to speak with the benefits helpline. One more lap through this nonsense, and when i next turned up at they job centre and they again said i needed to speak to the helpline i said no, please can you phone them to discuss. The floor manager refused and i refused to leave. A minute or two went by and they decided the best course of action would be call the police... When the police came, even they saw the insanity of the situation and asked the job centre manager to call the helpline.
 
I believe the assessors are health care professsionals and can be doctors (fewer of these) nurses, physiotherapists or paramedics, I'm not sure if any other discipline is represented. It is indicated that they are given "some" training" in disability awareness and training in how to assess how someone is affected by their illness. I can't seem to find out just how long this training is but believe it has been said its a couple of weeks but I'm not sure. I would say as a retired nurse there is no way on Gods earth I would consider a role with one of these companies. I think they shame the profession.

A friend of my wife's did the training but quit after a couple of weeks when because of the way they were being told to treat claimants (as liars by default).

That said, I had an assessment for PIP last year. The assessor (atos) came to my house and couldn't have been better (former paramedic who ad to quit due to a back injury). I got my positive decision within a few weeks. Fortunately, I'm in full time employment so don't require ESA, but I have heard about people who, like in the film, have been told by senior medics that they can't return to work but have been passed fit for work by the DWP!

As for Jobcentres, don't get me started! Even when I went in to fill out a form when I got my 1st Motability car, they treated me like a work shy layabout and I was working!
 
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A friend of my wife's did the training but quit after a couple of weeks when because of the way they were being told to treat claimants (as liars by default).

That said, I had an assessment for PIP last year. The assessor (atos) came to my house and couldn't have been better (former paramedic who ad to quit due to a back injury). I got my positive decision within a few weeks. Fortunately, I'm in full time employment so don't require ESA, but I have heard about people who, like in the film, have been told by senior medics that they can't return to work but have been assed fit for work by the DWP!

As for Jobcentres, don't get me started! Even when I went in to fill out a form when I got my 1st Motability car, they treated me like a work shy layabout and I was working!


It's unbelievable how people are treated by these 'people'
 
A few years ago i went with my eldest daughter to the local job centre, she was in college and looking for some p/t work.
I hadn't been near one in years..boy what a shock!..2 idiots at the entrance ( supposed security) asked, 'What are you here for?', 'Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps' didn't appear to be the correct answer.
I explained anyhow and was told i couldn't go in and wait while she enquired!...then you're told to look up the computer therein and contact the employer yourself, fair enough..but..back in my day you could have a laugh with staff and they were only too willing to help you by looking up what was on offer.
They would then contact the employer for you and arrange a mutual interview time, hell you could hang around the place and catch the vacancies as they came in and get to be first in the line...
 
A number of years ago i was on benefits between jobs. For some reason i didn’t receive a payment so called the benefits helpline. They said i had to go to my local job centre. So off I went to the local job centre - guess what - they said i needed to speak with the benefits helpline. One more lap through this nonsense, and when i next turned up at they job centre and they again said i needed to speak to the helpline i said no, please can you phone them to discuss. The floor manager refused and i refused to leave. A minute or two went by and they decided the best course of action would be call the police... When the police came, even they saw the insanity of the situation and asked the job centre manager to call the helpline.

Fortunately I've had no dealings with the job centre myself thank goodness but do know plenty of people who have. I think if anything they have become much worse and more intimidating in their handling of claimants. Sanctioning seems to be the name of the game, people being told no money for so many weeks for failing to comply. Often there are genuine reasons, ie buses being late, hospital appts,..with proof, family funerals, in patient care. How the hell can these employees live with themselves?

A friend of my wife's did the training but quit after a couple of weeks when because of the way they were being told to treat claimants (as liars by default).

That said, I had an assessment for PIP last year. The assessor (atos) came to my house and couldn't have been better (former paramedic who ad to quit due to a back injury). I got my positive decision within a few weeks. Fortunately, I'm in full time employment so don't require ESA, but I have heard about people who, like in the film, have been told by senior medics that they can't return to work but have been passed fit for work by the DWP!

As for Jobcentres, don't get me started! Even when I went in to fill out a form when I got my 1st Motability car, they treated me like a work shy layabout and I was working!

I've heard of a few people who have quit for the same reason, I read one article written by a nurse who said the same thing. Her conscience wouldn't allow her to be complicit in the ill treatment of claimants. She admitted they were given targets and were themselves disciplined if they awarded too many people the necessary points to merit an award.

Patients GPs are declaring them not fit for work ie sick note, only to be overruled by the DWP following a so called assessment. The whole thing is not fit for purpose and what's more it's costing the country millions more than the previous system. These private companies are laughing all the way to the bank at the expense of the sick and disabled.

Being treated as a work shy scrounger is the order of the day I'm afraid, we have the media to thank for this encouraged by the government of course. Don't get me on about mobility cars, or should I say the idiots who trumpet on about people getting "free cars"

I think I need a drink!
 
Go for it. I've just had half a bottle of red wine and I feel much better!

Sounds good to me:) I think one glass and I'd be zonked though. A weekend spent looking after my quadruplet granddaughters and all that entails has left me knackered. :sleep::sleep::sleep:
 
image.jpg

Yes quads, identical quadruplets, born naturally too. The girls are 11 years old now so easier to look after but bags of energy.
It was a big shock for us all when we first found out, my poor daughter in law who is of small build and weighed about 71/2 stone when she fell pregnant. Happy to say they were all delivered safely at 29 weeks and all perfectly healthy though of course small.

First day of school
 
View attachment 100597

Yes quads, identical quadruplets, born naturally too. The girls are 11 years old now so easier to look after but bags of energy.
It was a big shock for us all when we first found out, my poor daughter in law who is of small build and weighed about 71/2 stone when she fell pregnant. Happy to say they were all delivered safely at 29 weeks and all perfectly healthy though of course small.

First day of school

Magical. :cool:

YOU say they are slightly easier to look after @ 11yrs old, but wait until they are teens! :banghead: Poor Mum. :LOL:
 
I've downloaded it. I haven't steeled myself to watch it.

After my Dads experience at the hands of an Atos assessment a couple of years ago i suspect it'll be difficult watching

My stepdad died while battling ATOS who said he was fit for work.
 
A joke aren't they. No real words

The blame is with the government really, what gets measured gets done. If you measure them based on the number of people found fit to work, they'll find people fit for work.

If instead the contract was to "assess applications accurately and efficiently" there wouldn't be any pressure to lean one way or another.
 
The blame is with the government really, what gets measured gets done. If you measure them based on the number of people found fit to work, they'll find people fit for work.

If instead the contract was to "assess applications accurately and efficiently" there wouldn't be any pressure to lean one way or another.

True to a point, but I'm not sure what the exact termoniulolgy of the agreement with given,ent is. Regardless you have to question the ethics of using un or poorly qualified staff for the assessments
 
True to a point, but I'm not sure what the exact termoniulolgy of the agreement with given,ent is. Regardless you have to question the ethics of using un or poorly qualified staff for the assessments

It really is appalling. In the case of my stepdad, he had a report from his neurologist saying that he was unfit for work. His short term memory and some motor functions were damaged as a result of an infection in a shunt that he'd had to have put in to relieve a build up of pressure on the brain.

But apparantly ATOS new better.
 
It really is appalling. In the case of my stepdad, he had a report from his neurologist saying that he was unfit for work. His short term memory and some motor functions were damaged as a result of an infection in a shunt that he'd had to have put in to relieve a build up of pressure on the brain.

But apparantly ATOS new better.

Things like that are unbelievable. Just unbelievable


I get that some of the cases that are seen are very complex, and (with the greatest will in the world) outside of the full comprehension of all but specialised medical personal. Why then can't ATOS just take their reports as to if someone is fit for work?
 
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