The phoaties dinna really gie an indiciation oa just how Baltic it wis yisterday at the SUWN advice and leafleting stall in Dundee, to prepare for the free screening oa ‘I, Daniel Blake’ on Wednesday nicht. We wir able to noise the street up a wee bitty, courtesy oa Ailsa, Chris and Duncan geen it a bit oa laldy oan the megaphone. Despite the streets being pretty quiet, we still dealt with a couple oa cases, including Bella, a 56 year auld wummin wha’s recent marital separation meant she has ended up living in a homeless shelter, and trying tae get by oan aroond £80 a week, fifty odd oa which she hands ower to the homeless shelter. She is suffering fae a number of medical conditions, including epilepsy, high blood pressure and Sciatica, but when she contacted DWP help line, she was very unhelpfully informed by the advisor that applying for ESA wid be a waste oa time – not only is this advice wrang, we believe it is culpably wrang, and that advisors are being directed towards a course oa action aimed at limiting the number of successful social security applications. If you intend applying for PIP or ESA we would advise that when you phone the respective helplines, on 0800 917 2222/0800 055 6688, to request that a application form is sent to you, you should avoid completing the form on the phone – tell the advisor that you have problems using the phone and that you need face to face help with filling it in, otherwise your’e likely tae get the same treatment as Bella.