Premia Fraud
The British Government,
Department of Work & Pensions,
look after the most vulnerable
in society?
They admit an “official” error:
three hundred and forty million siphoned
from the jaded pockets of the physically sick,
mentally ill, disabled people,
and the jobless poor:
yet you soar to jail for benefit fraud.
Without getting technical,
some elements converted to ESA:
Employment and Support Allowance.
Folk found it strange when they were
suddenly paying legal fees at court,
prescription charges, dental care, eye care –
and gone were the free school meals
for their kids.
Premium payments vanished.
Then came the threatening dental fines,
the prescription fines; jail because
you couldn’t afford legal fees,
or Tracy in debt to the school for meals,
or bipolar Sam evicted
because she couldn’t afford
the housing costs,
or John with multiple sclerosis
scraping to pay for his own care?
The Government didn’t care –
they cited a case in 2014,
arguing that ESA is one benefit
(though split into two) –
they only pay from the legal date due.
Another two hundred million siphoned
from the jaded pockets of the physically sick,
mentally ill, disabled people,
and the jobless poor:
yet you soar to jail for benefit fraud.
So, don’t call us, we’ll call you
by next April, the Government said.
I also heard they’re devising a formula
to contact relatives of the dead,
bringing them the good news
that their lost ones are owed thousands
of pounds in underpayments.
Who wouldn’t turn in the grave?
Another poem from the archive: