From Newsthump, 27 July 2012:
Iain Duncan Smith is considering radical proposals to stop disability payments to paralympians who spend their days idling away in wheelchairs when not competing in London 2012, it has emerged.
The Work and Pensions Secretary is believed to have won the support of the Coalition to target inspirational athletes with a broad spectrum of disabilities who take the benefits system for all they can get.
Frankie Boyle on Twitter, 29 August 2012:
Got to be weird being a British Paralympian under this government, knowing that a medal means you'll lose your Disability Living Allowance.
Guardian, 31 August 2012:
The Paralympic sponsor Atos has been targeted by disability and anti-cuts demonstrators in angry protests at its role in testing disabled people to reassess their eligibility for benefit payments...
Atos has been the focus of fierce controversy over its sponsorship of the Games while contracted by the DWP to carry out "fitness to work" tests, which campaigners argue are part of a money-saving drive to reduce benefit payments.
UPDATE: rather belatedly, The Daily Mash did its own version of the joke on 31 August 2012:
THE disability benefits system will be replaced by medals for things like shutting up and getting on with it, it has emerged.
Ministers have hailed Paralympians for smashing the stereotyped view of the disabled as people who need money to do stuff.
Under the new Disability Medal Allowance system, financial support will be replaced by gold, silver, and bronze awards for not causing a fuss.
And It's A Pretty Good Indicator, At That...
3 hours ago
2 comments:
Very interesting point. These paralympians are more able than many able bodied how are they classified by the DWP anyone know? However they are I am sure there is not one shirker amongst them. Even if they only compete in their chosen sport they are doing their bit for society.
Knew there'd be tears before bedtime with the whole Paralympics thing.
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