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The Isle of Man Benefits Group Campaigning for those in the Isle of Man who are forced to live on state benefits due to chronic illness or permanent disability |
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This organisation is not affilliated with any other organisation or group |
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Who
is behind the campaign?
Rob Farrer, 54, was born in Santan of Manx parents. His grandparents were Irish and English. He went to Santan Primary School and Castle Rushen High School and left with no formal qualifications. He served a trade apprenticeship with the Manx firm of J.J. Bell as a painter and decorator. After leaving J.J. Bell, he formed a business partnership lasting 27 years. In recent years, he has worked in various capacities in addition to painting and decorating, including driving, plant operation and security guard. Rob and his wife, Fenella, have been together for over twenty years and have a strong sense of social justice though have not been politically active until now. Rob's illness changed that. He had to give up work at Christmas 2007 with symptoms that became gradually worse and, in March, was diagnosed by a specialist as having Parkinson's Disease; a tremendous blow to both him and his wife. Coming to terms with the Isle of Man benefit system was much harder, however. Rob had worked for forty years and had an unbroken contributions record. He had never made a benefit claim before. When he claimed incapacity benefit, he thought he would be entitled to a reasonable benefit. How wrong he was. He was given £61.25 per week, now raised to £63.75. This is the "sick pay" given to those who are signed off work for short periods due to transient incapacity. It should not be for those who have no realistic prospects of ever working full-time again. Rob's household income was slashed by two-thirds overnight with little or no prospect of any change in circumstance. He has had to put his house mortgage on six-month "holiday" as he cannot keep up the payments. Rob has spoken to over twenty people with similar problems and some are in even worse circumstances and suffer the real threat of losing their homes. It is bad enough that these people have to fight chronic, debilitating illness without having to additionally fight government for justice. Rob will fight the government on behalf of the chronically ill for a non-means tested benefit. He will present a petition for redress of grievance at the 2008 Tynwald Ceremony. He also wishes to submit a petition of signatures of support. You can add your voice by "signing" our online petition. He is also staging a peaceful, dignified protest with banners and balloons on Tynwald Day. He asks you to join him. Thankyou
for you support
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