Fraud only accounts for 0.7% of benefits claims, ( whilst society believes it to be closer to 30% ) The excellent film, I, Daniel Blake, accounts accurately people's experience of this system of conscious cruelty, further it perpuates the myth that those in receipt of social security claims are ( almost by default) potentially thieves. Compliance officers from the dwp make their living from such hotline calls, but the majority of investigations are found to be due to malicious calls from neighbours. The cost of running this hotline is far more substantial than the small minority caught. ( only £50 per person ) The government could then put this money into areas of social security or care where it's needed. The entire process is distressing and costly to the uk tax payer. Please stop this and help to end the myth of ' benefit fraud ' . This hotline is also free to call, unlike the 55p charge per minute it costs on a mobile to make a claim. It’s proof of the way this government unfairly targets and seeks to stigmatise the sick and vulnerable.

There is limited support for young people, 18+, who have mental health issues in the UK. I care about this issue so much as I've seen it effect others around me and also myself. I myself benefit from CAHMS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) as it gives me a place to go and share my problems in a controlled, calm and comfortable environment. Losing this service would have a very negative impact on my life as well as others as 18 is not the age where people find closure to the problems they have experienced in their life involving mental health. 18 is when people leave school and are released into work. People become adults and that brings along with it stress, this stress is why people 18+ need CAHMS as they don't know how to cope. This can lead to suicidal thoughts and also suicidal actions. Please sign this petition and lets help young people get the support they need! You could be saving a life!

Kent Support and Assistance as it was called (KSAS), a Government Scheme funded £2.8 million pound in its first year and millions since, has just recently had removal the information of its phone service with the web page edited slightly to remove the multi million scheme's name too. You can only find information on the scheme by typing 'help in a crisis' or something similar into the KCC search bar with it's new name 'Home essentials in a Crisis'. The page has its header name changed and their number removed but is other wise the same. This seems to also be the case with other essential council services whereby you have to report/claim for help online not taking into consideration the vulnerable and those without internet access or the know how to use this method, the only choice given. This is something us a non funded organisation fill the faps with as they refer clients to us when turning people down for help was not informed of, nor any other sign posting agency we lisise with. We are already seeing the rise in cases coming to us before this at our Thanet 7 day Food Bank, non funded and run by community, something we have had to take the demand for with errors to this KCC service since it began in Spring 2013 following the abolishment of the DWP's social fund's Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants. As an organisation, we have previously fought to get waiting times down in their first year which was proven to be productive after being asked to meet with the scheme's commissioner when we swapped figures on how many people Kent County Council were helping in Thanet compared to our non funded 7 day food bank. The figures were shocking Our concerns were acted on after myself and vice chairman Robin were asked to meet the commisioner of the scheme and his colleague who travelled to meet us from Maidstone after we voiced our growing concerns through several channels Waiting times were at least 14 days often longer for a decision on helping with emergency food, gas and electric, by which time their situations had largely started to sort themselves but claimants were still receiving food and fuel from KSAS after we had supported them through their hardships within 24 hours which even the clients acknowledged to be a waste of the council money. The commissioner, Hugh Martyn listened to what we provide non funded and he called me the 'Gap Filler', he asked what we see as the need here in Thanet and was quick to act with waiting time reduced to a matter of days rather than weeks within weeks. This was funded £2.8 million pound in the spring of 2013 with further millions in funding year on year following from Central Government to provide a service to the people in need from Maidstone to the whole of Kent. Right now, the people of Kent are being let down hugely yet again. We will be gathering more figures and FOI's into exactly how many services have had their phone contact service removed. **If you would like to get involved or would like to share your story, please send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected] Kerry Keating and Robin Vaughan Lyons

N.I.C.E. have recommended acupuncture for low back pain since 2009 and are now reversing their decision.The British Acupuncture Federation (BAF) which represents six organisations covering all styles of acupuncture can attest to its effectiveness for this condition based on proven outcomes. The US military obviously agrees with BAF with regard to acupuncture's effectiveness in pain relief as its Warrior Transition Unit Clinics treat large numbers of soldiers injured in combat with Battlefield Acupuncture for pain relief. The World Health Organisation states that low back pain is the leading cause of activity limitation and work absence throughout much of the world, so if you haven't suffered from it yet, the odds are that you will. Do you want to be deprived of an effective treatment within the NHS and have to rely on anti-inflammatory drugs with their known side effects? -- If not please sign the petition and support patient choice.

There are many in our community who have trouble walking or cannot walk at all and there are many places in Middlesbrough that do not cater enough for a wheelchair users needs. Please make Middlesbrough more wheelchair friendly so that those who are wheelchair bound have more freedom and independence! We need more ramps, lifts and easier access from street to building for these people, so this means in some cases we need bigger doors! Please sign and make this happen!

The bringing into hospital, germs etc, without due care and attention to the risk of Clinicians carrying the germs and infection to patients

Is Important because it will save cost like looking for scooters won't be necessary. Thank you and can do without taxis.

It is another, very sorry state of affairs, that yet another NHS surgery, is being forced to close down, due to rising rents, NHS cutbacks and-frankly-a total disregard for the welfare of thousands of patients and their RIGHTS to expect and receive consultation(s), treatment(s) and professional care, from our GP's. So, Our practice is being forced to close, in March 2017, so that all of its patients shall have no other option but go 'elsewhere' to register with another surgery. As you are all, likely aware, a Doctor/Patient relationship is dependent on trust and familiarity. Doubtless, this relationship shall be compromised-particularly to the many of older and/or those with more serious ongoing conditions. Furthermore, the dread of such serious change might actually have a detrimental effect on some patients' already fragile health. At the very least, chaos bodes. Please ask yourselves this question: with yet another closure, where can the patients go? Surgeries are already at bursting point and the Government seems bent on privatisation, which means that ANYBODY who depends on their local surgery is at risk of substandard health care and therefore, deteriorating conditions, BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSING THE ONE PLACE WHICH PATIENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RELY ON. Two years ago, I had extremely serious health problems. Had it not been for the NHS, I would have died. My Doctor, at surgery, was immeasurably important in galvanising the correct treatment and/or medication, so vital in turning the illnesses around. Not once but three times. In short, were it not for my GP's locale and readiness to accept the critical treatments needed, I would have died. So, how many more like examples of the necessity of local surgeries are there? If it is something you cannot associate with yourself, then-BET YOUR LIFE-you know somebody that it has happened to. Therefore, I am urging you all, for the well being of yourself, your families, friends and those who desperately NEED your wonderful surgery, please sign this petition to stop the closure at Union Row. Furthermore, I urge you to focus on not only your health but that of the NHS itself. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS PASS YOU BY. ONE DAY, WE SHALL ALL NEED THE NHS.

My husband was made disabled by a surgeon in November. We privately rent our two bedroom house and it was fine until he became disabled. We have been put on the housing list but there are no suitable properties. We have told we are entitled to a 3 bedroom council property but there are non available. We currently are only ellagable for housing benefit for a two bedroom house which leaves us locked in our current property. Despite needing to move on medical grounds we are not allowed to apply for 3 bed housing benefit meaning we can't look to rent privately. We have an indefinite wait on the list. I am still sharing a room with our 18 month old son. My husband can't access any parts of the house besides his bedroom and the bathroom. It is having a negative effect on our mental and physical well being.

The cuts to funding will hinder people with learning disabilities, who want to live independently, as well as homeless projects, potentially creating a Postcode lottery. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwp-disability-cuts-supported-housing-mencap-womens-refuges-homeless-hostels-a7309466.html#gallery Ministers say it is needed for efficiently, but picking on vulnerable members of society, will only increase problems further down the line. Steps to tackle corporate tax dodging would be a better way of making these savings. As someone who is disabled myself, I feel very strongly, that people like us should be able to live independently, and contribute to society, and not be made to feel we are being cast out. Growing up, I was made to feel a second class citizen by peoples attitudes, and have felt we have made a lot of progress through coverage of the Paralympics, being a great example.

This has created a massive impact on the UK welfare population that goes all the way to mothers caring for their disabled children, charging people ludicrous fines and causing much suffering for those affected. For example of this here's links to supporting articles such as a woman accused of being married to a dead pensioner http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/37339981 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teen-mum-tax-credits-stopped-8825953

I've suffered with chronic back and leg pain for 16 years and have to rely on morphine based pain relief which has many bad side effects which control my life. I've been told lots of times to try cannabis and how good it is for pain, but I no longer smoke and do not know how to use it in food or where to get hold of a good quality product. Sativex is legally prescribed in Wales and is cannabis based. After years of testing it has been proven to give pain relief to people with MS, ME, Fybromyalgia,and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome all of which are terribly dibilitating illnesses. All l would ask for myself is a trial period just to see if it offers help with my pain so that I could get some of my life back and get off morphine which is in so many ways a poison to my body after being on it for over 10 years.