E-mail I sent to channel 5 last month and the reply I received last week. Yes, I got a bit nasty but I am sick and tired of the demonisation of people claiming benefits by the media.
I am still waiting to be assessed for the move from ESA to PIP and I can see a new battle looming when that occurs.
Your Reference: VA/1051714/IK/C3F (Please quote this reference in all further correspondence)
Date: 10th July 2015
Dear Correspondent
Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole. We apologise for the delay in responding.
This programme is an attempt to focus on people from various parts of the UK living on benefits and to investigate their circumstances and lifestyles. The programme endeavours to explore their attitudes and expectations and consider whether they are or are not reasonable. Channel 5 is satisfied that the programme covers a range of benefits recipients and presents, in the public interest, a clear picture of the difficulties, expectations and ups and downs of people who live on benefits, by choice or necessity. It was certainly not the programme’s premise to be unfair to or denigrate the participants or benefit claimants in general.
Nevertheless, we are grateful to you for raising your concerns. Your complaint and suggestion for alternative topics to be examined in any future episodes has been logged in the Viewer Enquiries Report for the attention of all relevant personnel.
Thank you for your interest in Channel 5.
Yours sincerely
Ian
VIEWER ADVISOR
Please note that the contact details for Channel 5 Customer Services are as follows:
Telephone: 0345 7 05 05 05 / 020 8612 7700
E-mail: customerservices@channel5.com
Fax: 020 8612 7686
-----Original Message-----
From: tracy rockley [mailto:trockley@hotmail.co.uk]
Sent: 07 June 2015 16:52
To: Customer Services
Subject: 1051714/C3F
I am in receipt of benefits DLA and ESA. I worked full time and paid taxes and NI for 38 years before I took early retirement due to ill health.
I contracted multiple sclerosis and am now unable to walk. I use a wheelchair full time, need assistance with getting in to/out of the shower and with washing, I cannot get dressed without help, I have not been able to put on a pair of socks by myself for two years, need all of my food cut up because I cannot hold a knife and fork, virtually paralysed down my right side, don’t qualify for housing benefit, have no children so no child benefit, not allowed to drive a car anymore because having MS caused epilepsy.
Why do you not show people that are on benefits through on fault of their own, that were workers and fully contributed to society but got dealt a terrible deal by life eg, those with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, motor neurone, life changing car accident injuries etc.
I was under the naïve impression that a person paid into the collective pot not only to ensure a pension but also in case the worst happened and you needed help.
This is not a lifestyle choice, I have never been unemployed before and what has happened to me can happen to you.
I thought the condescending attitude of you programme just served to add fuel to the public’s perception that everyone claiming a benefit must be inherently lazy, thick and stupid and work shy.
I hope the producer of this programme develops motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis and gets to live my life.
Sent from my iPad
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