A million WORKING adults face benefits cuts next year.

[Darkesteyeswithflecksofgold]

If they cant find additional hours or higher wages they will have to do direct mandatory activity.



www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/oct/04/million-working-adults-benefits-cuts?CMP=twt_fd

[JakeBullet]

It pays to work....yeah right! All ibis will do is force those already on a minimum wage out of work. At present they are marginally better off than out of work, under the new benefit rules they WILL be worse off than those out of work. Well done to the Coalition.....you truly DO know how to make the working man or woman feel valued.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Bloody disgusting, another way of making the poor poorer. My dh has just been made redundant after working 11yrs and is now desperately seeking work. All the work that is available to him is minium wage, so we'll be better off him not working-great!!!
Thanx coalition, no way are the winning the next coalition with their silver spoon hugging activities!

[HecateHarshPants]

Bloody hell. I said this government was working up to bringing back the workhouses and I tell you, if they thought they could ...

[HecateHarshPants]

No pumpkin, the sad thing is that it'll just be the tories. People will feel the coalition has done this, won't go for it again and the tories will get in.

and then we can get ready...

[pumpkinsweetie]

Tbh i think the conservitives just want us on the streets, well what happens to the children will they be taken off people as we won't have money or housing for them anymore?
I know this is all a drive to get people back into work, but in my area there isn't enough jobs to go round and the majority are part time too. My dh has applied for 21 jobs in two weeks yet hasn't even had an interview yet-may Cameron should realise this

[NolaFfing]

I don't think this government is anything but Tory, not really.

I can't work out whether they're stupid or psychopathically cruel.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Stupid & Cruel- I can only imagine how awful these plans are. Streets lined with homeless people, children in care because their parents are homeless.
Well all those that voted for conservitives or who didn't bother to vote have caused this holy mess, im glad i didn't.
Atleast if the lib dems got their word in none of this would be happening, its more Cameron than Coalition-lets hope this changes before its too late.

However much the unemployed/part-timers are hated; Do they really deserve to be homeless & hungry in Great Britain in 2013.....thought we were going forward not backward

[meditrina]

This refers to UC, does it not?

So the minimum number of hours in work to receive in work benefits is being cut from 16 hours to 5 hours.

Those who will be directed to the mandatory tasks will be the group between 5-16 hours - people who would be totally ineligible at present.

So they're not cutting it from those who already receive. They are adding it to those currently ineligible, with mandatory activity up to the present threshold.

[MaryPoppinsBag]

Pumpkin- surely it won't affect you as your DH will be looking for a full time job.

And the current system can make it difficult to move from PT to working full time as people are subsidised with WTC and CTC's. And what's the point in doing more hours if you then lose your TC's.

Why should some families have PT jobs and be subsidised by people working 40 hour weeks.

The current system is just ridiculous and allows some to choose a more laid back lifestyle whilst others work their backsides off out of the house 12 hours a day (and more!)

[Bossybritches22]

I think you are allowed to class looking for work 30 hrs a week as your required minimum if unemployed. This can involve writing & sending letters/applications/attending interviews etc.

I'm struggling to meet my 30hrs pw at the moment. Where am I expected to knit another 5 if there just isn't work in the area? If the extra 5 hours are miles away the cost of getting there & back will wipe out the extra money earned.

Surely if someone can demonstrate they have a guaranteed MW job but the employer can't offer more than the basic 30 hrs then forcing them to get another 5 hrs is self defeating I would have thought.

Also unenforceable, given the state of unemployment in some areas.

[SheppySheepdog]

This is going to be a stupid question (haven't had my coffee yet) but I work 22.5 hours after cutting my hours due to horrendous childcare costs for two under fours. I think I earn over the £120 odd threshold and I don't claim tax credits or anything like that as my husband works so this won't affect me will it? Trying to get my head around that article and it's just not going in.

[SheppySheepdog]

Ok, got it. My situation is fine unless he runs off with the neighbour or something. Then I'd be screwed.

Also wondering where these extra hours / full time jobs are going to come from. Surely people are working part time because they either can't find full time positions or can't afford to work them. It was actually costing me thirty pounds per week to work full time without travelling expenses at one point.

[bringbacksideburns]

So my husband works a 40 hour week and i am jobshare - and they want me to find 35 hrs? Or i lose TC. Is that it?

[morethanpotatoprints]

What happens to the self employed and small business owners, does anyone know.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Have just noticed they intend to trial/ begin this in the most deprived areas in the North West, including my town.
As usual they have also made it so difficult and vague so even if you do try to understand the proposed system it is impossible.

[morethanpotatoprints]

MaryPoppins.

I have read your post how rude. Have you ever thought that people working part time may choose to do so for many reasons. Many people don't have the ability to work more hours, some have employers who can't offer more hours. Ok maybe it isn't fair that others subsidise the extra money they get. I just don't see why you think its only some peoples choice to do this. You could choose to work part time and be subsidised too.

[Diana2000]

I said this government was working up to bringing back the workhouses and I tell you, if they thought they could ...

I honestly think that within the next 20 years we'll see a reintroduction of some kind of communal housing for destitute families, where there's little privacy (to make it a less attractive option) and also a requirement for residents to do some form of unpaid work as a condition of staying there. It would probably be hugely popular with benefit bashers.

[expatinscotland]

'I honestly think that within the next 20 years we'll see a reintroduction of some kind of communal housing for destitute families, where there's little privacy (to make it a less attractive option) and also a requirement for residents to do some form of unpaid work as a condition of staying there. It would probably be hugely popular with benefit bashers.'

I can name you two posters here, once who accused me of a being a Glasgow schemer [hmm[, who completely agree with this already happening.

[OhMyGolly]

How does the conditionality work for couples with children? Sorry if it's a stupid question, but I have been sticking my head in the sand.

[pumpkinsweetie]

Think is MaryPoppins is that there is literally only limited full-time positions going in my area. Nearly every job oppurtunity is partime, ie 4-24 hrs.
My dp cannot apply for anything less than 24hrs a week as that is the new threshold for working tax credits. Basically we are stuck on jobseekers for the forseable future as the few jobs that are fulltime are very very limited and there are hundreds applying for them as there aren't enough to go round.
Everything at the moment is silly hours like 8-10 hrs a week!

Most people want a fulltime job but just can't get one. Atleast when the tax credits threshold was 16hrs my dp could have afforded to work but now he can't.
The coalition is making going to work harder and there is no incentive for people that manage to even bag a part-time job.

[pointythings]

And MaryPoppins there are many people who can only work part-time because they have health problems that limit their ability to work f/t, or have responsibilities caring for disabled family members.

And nothing is being done to make childcare more affordable either...

[Brycie]

No, not good, but Labour have already said they'd be making 90 pc of the cuts the Conservatives are. They'd have to. Because let's not forget, there was no money left when they got chucked out.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

The rules also apply to self employed :-(

Self employed people will be required to attend interviews to prove their status, and if they earn less than minimum wage for hours worked they will have to find a second job, or possibly only claim for top up as if they earned min wage (it is unclear if this will be allowed I suspect not)

We are absolutely stuffed.

And it's stupid if DP loses his less than min. wage business + tax credits the government are going to pay out a hellbofba lot more in JSA and associated benefits.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

I am concerned about rich people sitting in nice houses not actually appreciating that these well paying full time jobs aren't out there for all of us not Eaton alumni. I'm concerned about people being demoralised and pressured by having to ask their current cash struck employers for more money and hours. I'm concerned that people are going to be treated as statistics and asked to jump through pointless hoops.

I do however agree with some of what Marypoppins is saying. As single parent a few years back I actually worked out that at a certain cliff edge of earning I'd loose more than a pound for each pound I worked for. That's just not right and it left me poverty trapped and demoralised. I just couldn't risk upping my earnings because I needed to guarantee to myself I could maintain double my income or loose my tax credits etc. Self employed with a 1 yr old and an ASD three year old, stability of work wasn't something I could maintain.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

How it will affect self employed

johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/universal-credit-self-employment-and-the-minimum-wage/