Forum Topic

frredom passes for the mentally ill

i am an manic depresssive who has held a freedom pass for the past ten years or so.I have been told that due to cost savings by LBHF i will  probably be exculded from this schemeperhaps one of the worthy people on this forum could explain why the council are picking on the very people who they ought to be helping or is it that picking on the vulnerable the political form of happy slapping

Martin W M Bryant ● 6839d6 Comments

Hi Martin,I don't mean to be insensitive, but why should your condition mean that others have to pay for your travel - or indeed any other costs of living? I too suffer from quite serious depression, and come from a family with manic depression and schizophrenia. However, none of us expect the rest of the community to subsidise our lives from their pay packets. For me at least, that would encourage feelings of worthlessness and helplessness which would be debilitating and stop me attempting to take control of my life. I don't think the council are picking on people, just that funds are always limited, whilst dependency does tend to feed on itself. Just my perspective.

Gerry Thames ● 6839d

Hmmm, so are these the same cost savings which will reduce our Council Tax by 50p a week ?I thought that this reduction in Council Tax was being funded by outsourcing services (see thread started by Madalyn Roker); none of the Councillors who replied to that thread said anything about taking Freedom Passes away from anyone.Come to that, no-one from the Council has seen fit to deny that the services will be outsourced to companies who donate to Tory party funds, either.....

Andrew Broadbent ● 6839d

to manage without help is wonderful and you must be justly proud of acheivements.But we are talking about kicking the lowest of our society,the one who cant manage so well ,i would be a far different person without my carer and support worker

Martin W M Bryant ● 6837d

I am in no way doubting the seriousness of the conditions being talked about here, but was curious as to why such a condition would allow free travel.  I have just looked at the criteria for having a freedom pass and was just wondering under which category it falls.  The website states the following are eligible:-1) people who are blind or partially sighted2) people who are profoundly or severely deaf3) people without speech4) people who have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has left them with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to walk5) people who do not have arms or have a long-term loss of the use of both arms 6) people who have a learning disability, that is defined as, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning 7) people who, if they applied for the grant for a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, would have their application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Carol Burge ● 6837d

I think you'd probably be a much healthier and happier person without the support network Hammersmith has apparently laid at your feet Martin. Where is your incentive to engage with society and stand on your feet again?

Gerry Thames ● 6837d

I would imagine that having 'manic depression' would seriously hamper a persons ability to work or as so amusingly termed, 'stand on your own two feet'.Maybe vulnerable people like these could be encouraged to commit suicide which would certainly help with the caring nu-Tories to reduce council tax by 51p a week.I wonder why millions of Brits have moved or are hoping to move to the Socialist countries of Europe?Certainly not because of Thatcherism no doubt.Keep up the good work H&F council so as to insure that we never forget what a bunch of mean spirited non egalitarians you lot are.Oh, and good luck with your local boy [who is not] Shaun Bailey and his 'watermelon' smile.

John Price ● 6828d