We are predominately a Facebook Group of over 3000 members, I created the group some months ago now as the need for a single place to gather and collate stories, facts and figures, became a priority, a group of members willing to share their own personal stories in order to create reports and videos, a place where we could all share links, a platform to speak our minds against the governments cuts to benefits and delay in paying pensions.
We’ve been involved, in mailing MP’s, T.V. Presenters and programmes, governing bodies etc., telling them how waiting 6 years for our pensions is affecting us, being denied PIP or ESA, discussing the jobcentres, the workfare and claimant commitments.
We’re a solid group of determined members men and women. I would like to see more men, but many women join because of the pension issue, we are all fed up with the way we’re being ignored, we began working at 15/16 and paid our dues for over 40 years, looked after house and home and our offspring and our husbands, still found time to work, expecting to retire at 60 as the law states from the 1940’s, but as we approach 60 we are told we have to wait 6 years before we can retire. No time to make alternative arrangements. Our plans smashed into the long grass. Those of us and many others younger finding ourselves at the hands of the work coaches sending us off to work experience when we’re made redundant, sending the sick on workfare, working the same job as paid staff, only to get the measly £73 per week which doesn’t cover the bills let alone provide for food and water.
Me? I am a campaigner for all things wrong with the welfare system from sickness, to sanctions, to job-seekers, to pensioners. I am pleased to have such a strong bond with the members of this group, and I also have a good Admin assistant, Rose, onside who looks after all the new members as they constantly seek enrollment.
We’re a thriving group, we will make change, we are strong, we are always looking for new members who are happy to share their experiences too in order to create further reports in evidence of the wrong doing of this strict regime.
We Paid In You Pay Out 