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Articles

Reaping the benefits of sickness? Long-term illness and the experience of welfare claims

Pages 617-630
Received 21 Mar 2011
Accepted 19 May 2011
Published online: 27 Apr 2012
 

This article documents the experience of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in claiming sickness-related benefits in the United Kingdom. Based on responses to an enquiry on an email noticeboard, it focuses on the work and stress involved in making a claim; the felt stigma of being a claimant; and the strong desire to return to paid employment. The paper also notes the lack of documentation of the experience of making claims for, and of living as, a claimant of these benefits, and argues for the importance of research in this area, especially given that tightened criteria are currently generating even greater anxiety and risk of impoverishment.

Acknowledgements

Warm thanks go to the respondents for their time and effort, and to Carmel Kelly for her help and encouragement.

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