iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

I'm intrigued by the ideas that a) going to school is not an 'external peg' on which to hang the day; b) the light/day cycle isn't considered an 'external peg' which most body clocks adjust to; and consequently c) paid work is necessary to stop the sleep cycle from 'drifting'.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I hope that, in the UK when this patient is sent to see some form of non-clinical support staff if they need a sick note, that support staff does not cause harm because of their ignorance of Ankylosing Spondylitis and their value judgement about 'lazy' people or the value of work

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

A side of sick notes which @DWPgovuk ignore: "My doctor desperately tried to get me to go off sick as my toxic, bullying employer was already driving people to burnout and breakdown. But I continued." Sometimes people need to be signed off work.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

"Once in the mindset of “I’m too sick to work”, it’s very hard to get back out." Is it though? Do we actually have evidence of that? Real evidence, not healthy people putting their own interpretations onto the internal reality of living with chronic illness?

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

It's good to see State Pension shown separately to working-age Social Security. So often, politicians and commentators combine the two to justify arguing against working-age SS, whilst ignoring that SP is much larger.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

@UKLabour have *not* long-grassed the key welfare change that they proposed - to completely eradicate the concept of long-term sickness, or being too sick to work, from Social Security. They plan to do this by scrapping the Work Capability Assessment.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

It's not 4mn who *never* have to work. It's 4mn who currently aren't required to look or prepare for work, due to e.g. severe illness, disability, or caring responsibilities. Also at an all-time high: the size of the UK working-age population. Also high: state pension age.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

I have previously 'overcome anxiety' to speak on TV (I was on BBC NW). This doesn't change the fact that I have two anti-depressants and a sedative to keep my distress levels within manageable levels. By 'manageable' I mean I'm managing to stay alive.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

@benbgeiger.bsky.social could this interpretation work? People in the 'other and discouraged workers', (early) 'retired' and 'family/home' could easily include people who are too sick to work but are told they're FFW. People may interpret their worklessness based on their WCA/social security.

Graph showing changes in reason for economic inactivity between 2015 and 2024.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Naboo, my dog, has created a PA role for herself. She tells me when it's time to stop working, time to go to bed, or time for a visitor to leave. I just need to let her know that she doesn't also need to determine when it's time for me to get up from an afternoon nap.

Photo of a chocolate-brown Australian Labradoodle, lying on a rug with a red tennis ball between her front legs.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Delighted to be speaking at Nazarene Theological College this afternoon about my recent book, #JustWorship: worshipping God by living just lives. There's also a cake! www.stefbenstead.co.uk/just-worship With Labour proposing changes to WCA and PIP, this book is timely for considering a just society

Photograph of a cake covered in white fondant icing and with an image of the book, Just Worship, on it.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 24/08/2024

I had to leave #GreenbeltFestival early as I was struggling too much with fatigue and pain from my chronic illness. But it was good to meet Luke Larner and get a copy of his book, #ConfoundingTheMighty, to read on the train home.

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Stef Benstead @stefbenstead.bsky.social · 22/08/2024

View from my tent at #GreenbeltFestival. I'm speaking at 12:30 on Friday on my new book, #JustWorship. And also at 3:30, with Luke Larner, on a panel for his book #ConfoundingTheMighty.

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