Page 29 - Community Living Magazine 36-1

arts: reviews

A system that abuses those it is meant to serve

The mind-boggling, exhausting struggles of six people against a of the support system altogether.
benefits system that seems designed to obstruct them at every Carpenter describes this as “a cynical
pattern of injustice”.
turn are followed in this disturbing book, says Simon Jarrett Carpenter is a gifted writer (and clearly
a powerful advocate) and describes these
stories of injustice in a compelling and
eil Carpenter, an advocate who People with learning disabilities are, moving way. It is not possible to read this
supports people in their battles inevitably, among those who suffer most. book without feeling real anger on behalf
Nwith the benefits system, has The DWP requires them to read of those who are abused by this system.
returned to the themes of his 2018 book complicated letters, make phone calls The question remains – what is to be
Austerity’s Victims with this account of a involving waits of over 40 minutes to get done? The author lists a helpful series of
group of people with learning disabilities through, complete 33-page forms issues that the DWP must
in Cornwall who find themselves at the within tight deadlines and attend address, ranging from
mercy of the Department of Work and assessment meetings involving better-quality assessors to
Pensions (DWP). lengthy travel where they face a a change in the attritional
In Benefits on Trial, we follow the barrage of difficult questions. culture that grinds people
mind-boggling, exhausting struggles of six If they trip up at any point down until they lose the
people against a system seemingly during what Carpenter calls an will to fight.
designed to obstruct them at every turn. “obstacle course”, they face However, how can
Often and shamefully, after long battles losing their benefits altogether change happen in the face
during which people can be deprived of – despite their obvious of what seems to be such an
their benefits for more than a year, the entitlement to them. intractable problem and a
DWP will suddenly make offers of In his conclusion, Carpenter weighted system? We are all
payment shortly before a tribunal hearing. analyses in detail the shocking angry about it, but online
The sole purpose of this is to prevent inadequacies of the system. activists sharing their anger with other
their numerous inaccuracies, inefficiencies, In their initial assessments, all but one of online activists will have little effect.
blatant falsehoods and absurd decisions the people whose cases he describes were There is a momentum building for a
from being aired in public. awarded no points at all for their needs in new nationwide strategy on learning
If cases do reach tribunal, DWP decisions relation to daily living and mobility needs. disability. A critical component of any new
are often overturned by the judge within By tribunal stage, every one of them had strategy must be adaptation and
minutes or even before anyone sets foot in been awarded enough points to qualify adjustments to the benefits system and
the courtroom. People get their easily for the benefits they were claiming. significant changes in the DWP’s
entitlements but end up exhausted and One gained an astonishing 35 points. approach, all of it legally enforceable.
mentally broken by the battle. For a medical professional to have Only then will this nightmarish statutory
This is the impact of the government awarded no points to this person in their abuse of people with learning disabilities
department designed to support the initial assessment was not an unfortunate begin to shift. Neil Carpenter reminds us
poorest in society. It is, at its heart, a error – it was a casual, callous and why this is such an urgent priority. n
system that abuses those it is meant deliberate attempt to bully a person seen l Benefits on Trial by Neil Carpenter is
to serve. as weak out of their entitlement and out available on Amazon for £2.83

artists, not learning- The message from this
disabled artists. magnificent book is that this
Clayton writes: “I want is work that operates very
people to know that people much from the inside,
with a disability can be combining skill and
artists. Not an outsider. knowledge, and deserving of
Being an independent artist a place at the heart of
means getting work out contemporary culture. This is
there, moving forward and art happy to be judged on its
not being invisible with own outstanding merits
our disability.” rather than stuffed into any
Her use of the word special category.
“outsider” is significant. Thank you to the 17 artists
Art by people with who have worked so hard
learning disabilities is Blue Patterned Top by Mawuena Kattah; Cracked Face – Grey by Clifton Wright to apply their talents and
sometimes categorised as produce a body of absolutely
“outsider art”. learning-disabled artists in this way? The outstanding work. n
While I know this can be intended as a art is only outsider art if those who l An Octopus with Boomerangs is on sale
compliment, why automatically define produce it are seen as outsiders. at https://intoart.org.uk/

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 36 No 1 | Autumn 2022 29