I, Daniel Blake - cinema ticket cost donation to foodbank

[riggsy]

Saw this very moving / sad film last night called ?I, Daniel Blake?; I think it should be compulsory viewing ? for me personally it was definitely a reality check and shook me out of my little bubble.

It?s hard going but I?m so keen for as many people to see the film. I can't stop thinking about it 24hours later...

If you were not planning on seeing this then maybe as a nudge, for the first 5 people that watch it and send to me what the cost of their cinema ticket was then I'll total it all up, double it and donate that sum to the nearest local food bank.

just a gesture but its a start.

Dan

[Jules-and-Boo]

I watched Ken Loach on the news the other day, talking to a politician - who really did not get the point at all.

I suppose unless you actually KNOW anyone that is having or has had problems getting their benefits paid - and the stress, the serious lack of money/food/ threat to housing - then it's probably very easy to think it's not as bad as all that.

I've seen through a friend the way the social security treat people. We've wondered if they get commission for stopping people's support. The offices don't share information you bring in, but are very quick to cancel payments if another department does.

One has repeatedly lost documents, so payments have been halted. Housing benefit stopped as a result. Would only restart when the incapacity restarted - but they kept changing goal posts and taking SO long...asking for things already given, asking for things not possible to get (for instance - and how stupid does this sound? Bank statements of last six months. Bank said they didn't have them. Benefits closed his case... if you don't know what to ask for there is not support or guidance - bank had not told him they could order them - they did not offer to - they just hadn't been asked 'properly') Basically - and I do really believe this - making it nigh on impossible. I believe they make it as difficult as possible. And when you're stressed, worried about the basics - it is possible to find it completely overwhelming.

His landlord waited - all sort sorted after several long months and many phone calls. LL calling the housing office and threatening to evict him worked. Numerous solutions discussed - appointment offered - help given. All resumed, back dated - just took a call from someone determined and challenging.

I can imagine the genuine cases who really need help. It's a shocking tragedy.

It's the real poverty and not the 'hand out britain' we so fondly like to spit at.

[rendelharris]

Did you catch Ian Duncan Smith on Today this morning? He was basically trying to say that Loach was making it up and that benefits office staff were appalled at the unfair way they were portrayed. I only know two people who work in administering benefits so it's only anecdotal, but they're both appalled at the policies they're being asked to implement to the disbenefit (sorry) of people about whom they, and the majority of their colleagues, genuinely care.

ETA Both my friends are caseworkers working with elderly disabled clients, who do their best to ensure those clients sent to them get the benefits to which they're entitled - I can't speak for "front of office" staff.

[Jules-and-Boo]

yes - agree RH - the person we spoke to went out of his way to help - he was not front office - spoke to the case assessor directly...very different world.

[riggsy]

What struck me, and from what I hear, is that it's the de-humanising of the whole process that causes so many of the issues. My family hit hard times growing up, my mum was on benefits and we were in social housing but we could always make our case, had understanding and our situation was considered uniquely ie we wasn't some generic client or number in a queue whereas that seems to be more the case today

The other thing the film raised was just the level of poverty that you can find yourself in so quickly, the struggling parent trying to feed her children and relying on food banks...Food banks are inundated in this country and their use is growing exponentially, only this week I read an article that a quarter of nurses have used food banks.

[Peckhamnearbe]

Re food banks - on radio 4 yesterday or day before it was being convincingly argued that "welfare reforms" would have been impossible without food banks which have helped facilitate/ameliorate the effect of these changes which have so badly impacted people's lives.

[rendelharris]

Peckhamnearbe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Re food banks - on radio 4 yesterday or day before

> it was being convincingly argued that "welfare

> reforms" would have been impossible without food

> banks which have helped facilitate/ameliorate the

> effect of these changes which have so badly

> impacted people's lives.

Yes, on Thursday I think I heard it - without foodbanks some people would literally be starving on the streets. Terrifying.

[Blah Blah]

This film IS a reflection of what welfare reform has done to thousands of people. Of the 1.3 million people and families that were referred to foodbanks last year, 63% were as a result of welfare delays, sanctions and removal of benefits. This should not be happening.

It was a deliberate act by Osborne and Ian Duncan Smith to make accessing benefits as hard as possible, especially for the sick and diabled. Just 6% of the welfare and social security budget is spent on the unemployed and those claiming ESA. The over 65's swallow 65% of that spending, with housing benefit and child tax credits taking sizeable percentages as well. So it is hard to argue that making savings justify the harshness. Under New Labour, food parcels were just 25,000 a year.

There has been a backlash against this film by tory apologists masquerasing as journalists, and Tory MPs themselves. I hope every one goes to see it. Last week, a policy unit set up by the tories delivered a report commissioned by government, which citicised pretty much every aspect of welfare repform. This government has made people ill and made them less able to look for work. And none of it, not one bit, is necessary.