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Draft overview of my own welfare case in Denmark, 1988-1997
- April 1989, benefits cut from 6000 to 5200 Dkr. per month despite 1/3 of
the amount being equivalent to an interest free loan to cover mortgages (which I
am paying back out of a lousy pension now). Managed the cut by getting my food
from dumpsters for a few months and making economic adjustments like terminating
my home insurance. Lost the appeals case.
- January 1990, coverage for mortgages for the month not transferred to my
bank account by the welfare office, allegedly due to a computer system
malfunction. Despite several complaints from me the amount wasn't paid until
February 1991, and then *I* was blamed for the incident, because social workers
alleged that I had agreed to fetch the money at their office myself in January
1990. Which is a lie, I never made any such agreement and would have refused, if
it had been suggested to me, because I needed the money on my bank account *for
mortgage payment 3 months later* anyway.
- January 1990, threatened in a letter from the social worker that I would
lose my benefits if I didn't show up for an appointment to let them "help" me
make my plans for my own future "realistic." I was 44 years old and had spent 25
years on the labor market prior to getting on welfare in 1988, 17 years in the
same job, so I would hardly begin to make *unrealistic* plans for my own future
as middle-aged! Prepared myself for a fight with the whole system by getting
food from dumpsters, etc.
- May 1990, benefits stopped, because I had refused to have anything to do
with the social workers on their conditions.
- July 1990, a psychiatrist involved in the case without my knowledge or
consent by the primary social worker, because she wanted to know what was
"wrong" with me, and how she should "tackle" me. I knew nothing about this until
4 years later. The statement from the psychiatrist had nothing whatsoever to do
with psychiatry, it was an attack on my "personality type" in order to whitewash
the municipality in the case (i.e. her own employer!) and contained the most
insane, ridiculous, insulting and lying nonsense I had ever in my life heard or
read about myself.
- August 1990, benefits resumed, because social workers in their own words in
the case concluded that they were "getting nowhere" (with me, of course).
- January 1991, lost appeals case at the appeals board. The board, among
other things, insinuated that I had tried to commit welfare fraud by insisting
on the mortgage coverage for Janary 1990 on the implied grounds that I had
proved I hadn't needed the money by surviving not getting it.
- 1992-93, appeals case at the ombudsman office, lost the case.
- 1993, application for legal aid for a court case against the system; the
request denied. Turned down by a few lawyers as well.
- January-September 1994, fraudulent taxation of benefits by the welfare
office, totalling 7000 Dkr. Got the amount in September.
- 1995-1996. Threatened with a form letter every third month that I would
lose my benefits within a week, if I didn't fill in the form and return it to
the welfare office. Which I didn't.
- September 1995, letter from the municipality's social services committee
that I would be transferred to an early retirement pension without my
participation and would hear from the social workers, when they had finished the
paper work. Despite that they continued to send me the threatening form letters
until late 1996.
- September 1995, a new psychiatrist involved in the pension case without my
knowledge or consent. This psychiatrist, however, refused to comment on the case
at all. Knew nothing about this until mid-1997.
- February 1997, lost benefits for the second time due to my total boycott of
the whole system and refusal to tell them anything or document anything ever
again.
- According to explanation from the municipality in the appeals case my
pension papers had been "disappeared" since September 1995 due to an employee
leaving her job. No documentation in the case to confirm the existence and guilt
of the alleged employee. Fact remains that the social workers had claimed since
July 1990 that I probably couldn't return to the labor market again and
therefore was entitled to a pension (which I didn't want, I wanted my right to
go through with my own plans for my own future), and that they nevertheless took
the welfare benefits from me 1 1/2 year *after* having initiated preparations
for a pension.
- April 1997, payments resumed and benefits for 3 months paid by the welfare
office (normally such benefits are lost forever).
- June 1997, transferred to an early retirement pension, which is reduced by
my welfare debt for mortgages until I am 72. If I live that long...
Viggo Andersen
List owner Workfare-Fight
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