"Face book has just asked me 'How are you doing Val' Well this is the reply and if anyone has contacts in the press or in the Government please pass it on!
Dear Mr Iain Duncan Smith,
I do hope you are well.
Today I got 2 letters, The one from your estimed department informed me that since a year had passed since my last IV treatment for cancer I was no longer entitled to contributions based Employment Support Allowance (ESA) from 2nd March 2013. It informed me that the 'benefit' would stop and no more money would be paid. It also informed me that I could if I wanted to apply to carry on receiving this benefit as means tested but that if my 'partner' worked 25 hours or more or we had 16k in assets/savings I was ineligible for further help. It also informed me they would keep paying my NI contributions for the moment but if once I had been assessed (by ATOS) as fit to work they would immediately cease. Of course there was a paragraph warning me that if I did not pay my NI contributions my state pension and any further benefit would be affected. So Mr Duncan-Smith that is £400 per month I have to find...
The second letter was an invitation by ATOS to a medical to see if I was fit to work, having been to a previous one they assess my capability to work on repetitive lifting work be asking if I can lift a pint of milk.
Mr Duncan-Smith I do hope sincerely you are not affected by cancer. Mostly people with cancer look normal, no wheelchair, no crutches, no outward signs most of the time, it is very difficult to be treated for this nasty disease and to survive the treatment unscathed. I look just like I did before but now take 4 prescription medications per day due to ongoing treatment and the after effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. I am having investigations into possible arthritic conditions and fibromyalgia due to cancer treatment and life is not what it was.
Mr Duncan-Smith you must think I am lazy or not bothered to work or be part of your Big Society, but nothing could be further from the truth. Due to almost dying from septicemia from chemotherapy treatment I had to sell my award winning business that employed up to 10 others all of whom paid tax....to your government , was about to expand and employ more and that in a recession too. I have never ceased to be active in my local community and do more volunteer work than most people including supporting people with cancer.
I have also become a student and am studying part time at college (part time being 17 hours of lectures and practicals some of which i find jolly hard due to my joint problems) to try and change career, but will not be qualified and able to get employment until September when I qualify.
Mr Duncan-Smith, you and your fellow ministers often say we must get people back to work and often imply that we are slackers, spongers or down right lazy. I am 52 years old and have worked very hard all my life, its hard trying to change career at my age not because I wanted to but due to illness.
Oh and by the way being suddenly £400 down per month is going to be very difficult.....we still have to pay our mortgage and our council tax and actually live below the poverty line according to statistics already. We are trying to sell our house, but to be honest we should probably eat it instead.
Yours faithfully
Me"
