06/12/2011 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Sick to the back teeth

You can hardly open a newspaper or switch on the telly these days without reading or hearing about changes to sickness benefits. There’s no doubt about it that reforming sickness benefits is at the forefront of the welfare reform agenda – but what do the changes mean in practice for people who are claiming sickness benefits or are not able to work? Roddy Samson from Granton Information Centre gives a brief update of the changes so far…

What is it?

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is a welfare benefit which was introduced in October 2008. All new claimants who are unable to work due to illness or disability (including mental health problems) are placed on ESA. The intention is to support people to access appropriate work, with a greater emphasis on what claimants are able to do. ESA has replaced Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Income Support (IS) paid on the grounds of incapacity. The government plans to review everyone on IB for suitability for ESA by March 2014. The review process started in October 2010.

How are people assessed for ESA?

The ESA assessment process usually takes around 13 weeks, but can be longer. During this period the claimant will undergo:

A work capability assessment (WCA)

A work-focused interview

The ESA work capability assessment is carried out by a health care professional contracted by the Department for Work and Pensions at the local assessment centre in York Place. It is designed to assess whether the claimant is capable of work or capable of work related activity.

If they are assessed as incapable of work-related activity they are placed in the ‘support group’ and receive ESA.

If they are assessed as capable they are placed in the ‘work-related activity group’ and receive ESA. People in the ‘work-related activity group’ are expected to undertake work-related activity as a condition of continuing to receive the full amount of ESA.

The Work Capability Assessment

This assessment applies to most claimants and determines whether or not they remain on ESA.

For this test you are assessed on your ability to carry out 17 listed physical or ‘mental, cognitive and intellectual’ activities. Points are awarded on the basis of your limitations with respect to each activity. These points are totalled up and if the total reaches the threshold of 15, you are deemed to have limited capability for work and thus stay on ESA.

Within each type of activity there is a list of descriptors with associated scores ranging from 0 to 15. The descriptors describe related tasks of varying degrees of difficulty. You score when you are not able to perform the activity described. Though more than one descriptor may apply to you, you can only pick up one score from each type of activity; in each case whichever scores the highest.

If you score 15 in any one activity, you automatically pass the test. If your score is less than 15, it can be added to the scores you pick up from any of the other types of activity (in both the physical and the mental parts of the test). If your total score reaches 15, you pass the test.

The physical activities

The physical functions in the limited capability for work test are grouped into 10 different types of activity. These are:

Mobilising unaided by another person with or without a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid if such aid can reasonably be used.

Standing and sitting.

Reaching.

Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms.

Manual dexterity.

Making self understood through speaking, writing, typing, or other means normally used, unaided by another person.

Understanding communication by both verbal means (such as hearing or lip reading) and non-verbal means (such as reading 16 point print) using any aid it is reasonable to expect them to use, unaided by another person.

Navigation and maintaining safety, using a guide dog or other aid if normally used.

Absence or loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or bladder, other than enuresis (bed-wetting) despite the presence of any aids or adaptations normally used.

Consciousness during waking moments.

The assessment takes into account your abilities when using any aid or appliance you would normally use.

The mental, cognitive and intellectual activities

These functions in the limited capability for work test are grouped into sets of activities under the following 7 headings:

Learning tasks.

Awareness of everyday hazards (such as boiling water or sharp objects).

Initiating and completing personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks).

Coping with change.

Getting about.

Coping with social engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.

Appropriateness of behaviour with other people, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.

Appeals

If the claimant is assessed as capable of work then they do not qualify for ESA. They can appeal this decision. If they appeal they can continue to receive the basic allowance of ESA until a decision is made on their appeal by a tribunal. Recent government figures show that appeals against ESA decisions are more successful if you have an experienced representative.

Between April 2010 and April 2011 114,000 ESA appeals were heard by independent tribunals in the U.K.

Of these 38% were successful

However when the person appealing had professional representation this figure rose to 67%.

It’s important to remember that if you get a decision about your benefits that you’re not happy with you should seek advice as soon as possible as strict time limits apply if you wish to challenge them. Granton Information Centre provides free, impartial advice, assistance and representation on all benefit and tax credit matters.

Drop in sessions (Granton Information Centre):

Monday & Wednesday: All HOUSING issues: 9.30 – 12.30

Tuesday & Thursday: BENEFITS & MONEY ADVICE issues: 9.30 – 12.30

Outreach:

Tuesday: 10.00 – 1.00 CREWE MEDICAL CENTRE

(Only for patients of Crewe Medical Centre)

Tuesday: 2.00 – 4.00 MUIRHOUSE MEDICAL GROUP

(Only for patients of Muirhouse Medial Group)

Home visits and appointments may be available on request.

Telephone/Fax: 0131 552 0458, 134 – 138 West Granton Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1PE

First time drink drivers to lose cars

Measures are being introduced which could see first-time drink-drivers in Scotland having their car seized.

Drivers who refuse a breath test for analysis without reasonable excuse could also have their vehicles taken from them.

The measures mark the launch of the annual police crackdown on dangerous drivers over the festive period which took place at the Scottish Parliament on Monday morning.

Last year 7,563 people in Scotland were caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, an average of around 20 offenders every day.

Now first-time drink-drivers who provide a sample for analysis which is three times the legal limit or more, and those who refuse a breath test, could have their vehicles taken away for good after conviction.

That would be in addition to receiving a criminal record, a fine and a 12-month driving ban.

The plans come after a forfeiture scheme introduced in 2009 to deal with repeat offenders.

It was extended in summer 2010 to include drug-drivers.

A total of 702 repeat offenders have been caught and 155 vehicles forfeited, with a further 18 vehicles seized pending court decisions.

According to the latest figures, it is estimated that just over one in seven deaths on Scottish roads involve drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit.

Yes We CanCan: a Cabaret of Resistance

Peoples across the Earth make art to resist oppression, cruelty and exploitation. The citizens of North Edinburgh are no strangers to this work and they have a strong history of resistance and are rightly proud of their achievements over the last 50 years.

This commitment and its approaches and history have been exported all over the world, from the early days when the people of Muirhouse and Pilton began working with artists to learn and to make their ideas more powerful, and as a path to evoke change and to challenge and resist.

This production is a celebration of that work and is a consequence of 18 months’ research and development work with local people to create dialogues about what is important, what is precious, what hurts and destroys, what is worth fighting for.

The production explores the values and concerns of people trying to create a better life for themselves and their communities. It follows the journey of two Travellers who arrive in our urban landscape from rural Scotland and from Africa. It follows their loss, confusion and learning as they develop their insight and resistance to having their democratic relationships reduced to being consumers, profiled as “rabid and anti-establishment”, and denied their Human Rights.

Yes We CanCan: a Cabaret of Resistance uses dance, music, song, laughter, film and drama to create this exciting and special piece of work. One of the reasons it is special is that it is the first time for some years that the citizens of North Edinburgh are making theatre again, reclaiming their NEA theatre and using it as they had hoped when it was first built.

Come along and watch this great Cabaret show, be enthralled, laugh, perhaps shed a few tears and be proud of what the citizens of North Edinburgh have to say.

Yes We CanCan: a Cabaret of Resistance

Performances:

Thursday 8^th December 7p.m.

Friday 8^th December 7p.m.

To book tickets £1 & 50 pence [cons] please e-mail: mailto:admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk or telephone 0131 315 2151

For further information please contact:

Stephanie Knight, Director, North Edinburgh Theatre project

stephaniejaneknight@gmail.com

or Kate Wimpress, Director, North Edinburgh Arts

director@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Volunteer centre is on the move

After 2 years of working from the Granton Youth Centre building on Granton Square, Volunteer Centre Edinburgh North (VCEN) moved premises at the end of September, to be based at the Community Renewal office.VCEN brings the services of the Volunteer Centre to North Edinburgh, giving people advice about volunteering opportunities both locally and across the city and helping them to overcome barriers to volunteering.

Senior Development Worker Nick Woodhead said “A lot of people who come to see me are looking for work and volunteering is a great way to gain experience, practice skills, improve their CV, get a reference. But others just want to help out and use their spare time usefully. Whatever the reason people can drop in and arrange a chat.”

Community Renewal manager James Riordan said “As an employability organisation, we have referred many clients to the Volunteer Centre over the last 2 years. Volunteering has helped many people get back to work. It’s good to have him so close at hand!”

If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering, drop into the Community Renewal office and ask to speak to Nick or phone 0131 629 4202.

Yummy food festival comes to North Edinburgh

On Friday 16^th March 2012 North Edinburgh will be hosting ‘The Yummy Food Festival’. The Yummy Food Festival is currently being developed and organised by a group of local women from West Pilton and Muirhouse who developed the ‘Its Yummy Mummy Cook Book’. They are now developing this unique food festival to celebrate healthy eating, cooking, local talented cooks and culinary delights found in North Edinburgh.

Pilton Community Health project

The festival will be held at North Edinburgh Art Centre and will be full of cooking demonstrations, food workshops, healthy eating information, a craft market, gardening tent, food story telling and art making, healthy eating workshops and so much more yummy and tasty delights.

There are various ways you can get involved.

Be come part of the planning group
Have a food stall or cake stall to raise funds for your community group or organisation
Are you a crafts group who wish to sell the jewellery, cards or other crafts that you make
Are you part of a cooking group? Would you like to do a cooking demonstration?
Do you run a gardening group? Would you like to show people how to grow their own pot of soup!

For more information or to get involved contact Lisa at Pilton Community Health Project on 551 1671

Stab man insides were 'hanging out'

A knife attacker left a delivery driver with his insides “hanging out” during an attempted murder outside a Stockbridge shop.

Aaron Gray, 23, left Mark Miller, 26, bleeding heavily from wounds following the assault near Pizza Hut in Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, on 3 April.

Surgeons carried out an emergency operation on Mr Miller to repair his injured bowel and blood vessels.

Blood on the ground following Stockbridge stabbing — Blood on the ground in Stockbridge following the attack. (Pic: Thomas Brown)

The judge deferred sentence on Gray until January for background reports.

Gray admitted attempting to murder Mr Miller.

He had changed his plea during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Mr Miller, a hospital worker who also worked as a delivery driver for the restaurant chain, said he was heading back to the outlet when he became aware of a male shouting, whom he did not know.

He said he had ignored him and the man left the scene in a car, but returned minutes later and emerged from a passenger door.

Mr Miller said: “He came running towards me. It happened that quick,” he said before the pair got involved in “a scuffle”.

He said: “I managed to get up on to my feet. I was still holding on to him. Then I just let go of him. Then I put my hand down on to my stomach and I realised I had been stabbed. My insides were hanging out.”

Police speak to locals following stabbing in Stockbridge. (Pic: Thomas Brown)

Advocate depute Graeme Jessop said Gray claimed he knew Mr Miller which the victim denied.

Mr Jessop said the surgeon was of the opinion that the injuries were actually life-threatening if it was not for the immediate medical intervention.

Police made attempts to trace Gray at several addresses following the attack, before he later handed himself in at a police station.

The victim suffered anxiety and depression following the assault. He said he now finds it very difficult to go out on his own and remains off work following the attack on him, the court heard.

Stab man insides were ‘hanging out’