Does Frank Gardner get DLA? (We had to ask)
| 14:45 UK time, Thursday, 1 July 2010
Frank Gardner is our guest on this month's Ouch! Talk Show. It's well worth a listen. Frank is the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s security correspondent who was shot by Al-Qaeda gunmen while he was in Saudi Arabia in 2004. A brutal attack, they left him for dead. It's incredible that he's back working for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News and doing so well with such dignity. He's one of a handful of people who we can genuinely call brave and inspirational without worrying we might be patronising him.
And it's for that reason that I'm slightly ashamed to tell you that, in their typical inquisitive way, our lifelong disabled presenters Liz and Simon then painstakingly took him through a list of benefits to see if he is on everything he's entitled to. Yes, we are small minded but we had to ask. Some might find such questions a bit intrusive ... find out how Frank reacted. (I'm sure George Osborne loves this kind of 'free money' talk).
The paperback version of his book Far Horizons has just come out and we had mainly invited him in to discuss his love of travel before and after he became a wheelchair user. He has some great stories, some great tips ... and a strong message that nowhere in the world is out of bounds if you set your mind to it.
• You can listen to the talk show by hitting the play button on this page and you can also download it to your MP3 player or subscribe to our talk show as a monthly podcast.
Comment number 1.
At 1st Jul 2010, crustycrip wrote:Does Frank Gardner get DLA? (We had to ask)
Do bears poo in the woods;-)
He works for the Beeb, he needs the money!
pete
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Comment number 2.
At 1st Jul 2010, And wrote:Great interview with Frank that I really enjoyed listening to. The 'benefits checklist' was very amusing- I also like the idea of The Blue Badger.
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Comment number 3.
At 10th Jul 2010, Walks-in-Shadows wrote:In reply to mentalas, Frank Gardner _doesn't_ get DLA, he gets DWA. As a working person, he would be a benefits thief if he applied for, and received, DLA.
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Jul 2010, anthony wrote:Mr Wagner is completeley 100% wrong. As a wheelchair user and employee of the benefits agency I can assure you that it is completely legal BOTH to work and claim DLA. It is extremely insulting and ignorant to describe someone who works and claims DLA as a benefits thief. Infact the award of DLA can enable some people to work,pay taxes and retain a sense of dignity and quality of life.
I suggest if anyone is unsure of their elegibility for entitlements that they look at the excellent Directgov site.
As far as Mr Wagners remark abour DWA there is no such thing (surprise surprise).
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Comment number 5.
At 14th Jul 2010, Walks-in-Shadows wrote:If I got a paying job, I would have my benefits reassessed, come off Income Support, and start receiving DWA in place of DLA. So the DWP have told me. And 'benefits thief' is what the Daily Wail would say, I just forgot the quotes first time around.
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Comment number 6.
At 15th Jul 2010, wheelalong wrote:Sorry Mr Wagner, but living on DLA does not affect or pay any regard to income - it is - as is winter fuel allowance for the over 60's - completely disregarded as income when assessing income related benefits - please check with Disability Alliance or see a CAB advisor if you've been told differently - and reading the Disability Alliance latest publication I can find no reference to DWA - can you?
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