Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Work and Pensions
Written answers and statements, 28 October 2009
Neil Turner (Wigan, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of benefits as a result of a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis; and what information her Department holds on the medical conditions of such benefit claimants.
Jonathan R Shaw (Minister of State (Disabled People), Regional Affairs; Chatham & Aylesford, Labour)
holding answer
Benefits are not paid to customers as a result of a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis. Entitlement is based on the disablement that results from it and the effects of that disablement.
The Department holds case specific information on the medical conditions of people who have made claims on the basis of a disability or illness. The information can be gathered from a number of different sources including the claimant, health care professionals involved in their care and departmental medical advisers.
Decision makers consider all the available evidence before deciding on entitlement to benefit.
Annotations
Norman Thomas
Posted on 1 Nov 2009 3:27 pm (Report this annotation)
FROM THE ANWER TO HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME HAVE BENEFITS
the answer appears to be zero.
the interviewers on the ''independent' tribunals are paid by the government . they naturally want to keep their jobs.
chronic fatigue symptom is the name given by doctors who do not know , or dare not diagnose , the actual cause of chronic tiredness , e.g. vitamin B12 deficiency .
thus people are left without either Job Seekers Allowance or Disability Benefit.