Universal credit.

[OriginallyfromLA]

I don't claim benefits but I'm trying to understand why UC is such a bad thing. Is it because it puts the onus on the claimant to manage their money? Or because it's late making people struggle until they get into a routine of when their payments will come?

it shows how bad things are when ive noticed now food banks are seen as normal now,even articles in papers mention visiting a food bank,goverments advise you yo use foodbanks

5yrs ago hardly heard of now its part of daily life for many and its just expected

we should be asking ourselves why its become normal,in modern Britain its a bloody disgrace

we should be asking ourselves why its become normal

I don't think e need to ask that, we already know. Conservative governments and the people voting them in.

well that Child maintenance 1993 makes no sense to me what so ever

i hope they dont take it into account as my ex should pay £130 a month but only pays 2-3 months over a year

im starting to give up the will. its all to confusing

I don't think e need to ask that, we already know. Conservative governments and the people voting them in

yes i know kind of meant that, meant that they should be held to task, why dont we get angry about things like this, we moan and complain but never really get angry and upset

I see (up to now at least) op hasn't been back. I wonder if she was expecting us to all say. Oh yes what's the problem". ect ect but got her eye wiped, do I dare say

People in comas, in intensive care have been sanctioned for missing job centre appointments.

Awwwlook thank you.

"Child maintainence is not included -- it has never been taken into account for most benefits." No it used to be included as income but so many children were ending up in poverty as a result this was stopped. When I first claimed after splitting from ex, even the ex making a nominal payment was taken as meaning they were paying regularly and in full and benefits were reduced £ for £ by what csa said he was paying! I was going without food and a winter coat at one point due to this.

"And yes you can go on holiday as long as you stick to appointments and still do any work search requirements." How is that a true holiday? Paid employees don't have to work on annual leave.

Whatsthestory - last week there was a clear (but not admitted!) publicity stunt with Tory MPs photographed in Tesco stores all over the country to donate to food banks. Many of them tweeted using same phrases or even same entire tweets & hashtags "encouraging" people to donate for those needing to use food banks 'at this difficult time of year' - many of us blasted them on SM for this, for the hypocrisy & self publicising BS, one was saying they'd be keeping an eye on expenses claims to make sure they didn't claim expenses for their 'donations' - would not put it past them!

probably, it always seem to be those that are not on means tested benefits that think its wonderful

but some on TC dont realise it effects them to

hmm ive looked at the maintanance link and dont think it will effect many but could be wrong

Graphista really thats awful they have the thickest skin to do that they should be ashamed to even be there

everybody knows what a food bank is now not so 10yrs ago

its so common place now and i really wish it wasnt iykwim

They have no bloody shame it's shocking!

One of those most that tweeted was Dominic Raab. He voted in favour of the bedroom tax. Voted against raising welfare benefits in line with prices. Voted gainst paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability.

i dont know how they can hold their head up

One of those most that tweeted was Dominic Raab. He voted in favour of the bedroom tax. Voted against raising welfare benefits in line with prices. Voted gainst paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability

And resigned from Cabinet because he hadn't realised how much his own UK relies on imports and then posted photos of himself on social media stood beside a foodbank drop, smiling away.

JRM, don't get me started.

'Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' And that is Matthew, 19 chapters in, the very FIRST book in the Gospel. Note, 'again, I tell you'. He said it more than once, and over and over again. 'Give your riches to the poor and then come back.'

If it is not good news for the poor then it is not in the Gospel! You cannot be a Christian if you do not follow the Gospel.

He is as Christian as an ISIS terrorist is a Muslim, not at all.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-46484217

Grenfell Tower MP calls for Universal Credit launch delay

The MP whose seat is home to Grenfell Tower has urged the government to delay next week's launch of Universal Credit in the area, saying it could leave survivors without income at Christmas.

The benefit scheme is due to come to North Kensington, where the blaze left 72 dead, just 13 days before Christmas.

The first payment takes five weeks to come through, a situation Emma Dent Coad described as "unacceptable".

The government said it was providing "targeted support" for those affected.

Universal credit was designed to make claiming benefits simpler, combining six different payments into one, but has proved controversial, with reports of IT issues, massive overspends and administrative problems.

It was due to be rolled out in North Kensington in July 2017 but was delayed following the deadly tower block fire the month before. It is now set to be introduced on Wednesday.

It's unthinkable'

Ms Dent Coad, who won the west London constituency of Kensington for Labour in the general election just days before the fire, wrote to then work and pensions secretary Esther McVey on 2 November urging the government not to inflict any more pain on families who had "already lost so much".

She highlighted problems they had faced last Christmas when some pay-outs to survivors by the local council were delayed.

The MP told BBC News: "It's unthinkable, they're going to have another Christmas now wondering whether they can afford to buy food, let alone presents for their children."

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said advances of up to 100% were available for people from the first day of their claim.

But Ms Dent Coad, who set up a food bank in Kensington, said in her letter that requesting advances for Christmas would leave people facing "many future months without enough income to cover their expenses"

The leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council Elizabeth Campbell also wrote to Ms McVey in March calling for the roll-out to be halted "for the foreseeable future".

Maher Khoudair, who suffers from polio, and his family survived the tragedy and now live elsewhere in Kensington.

He described the decision to roll out the scheme as "wrong" and said he did not know how some people would cope over the festive period

A DWP spokesperson said: "In preparation for Universal Credit roll-out in North Kensington, we have put in place a range of special measures.

"This includes providing targeted support from experienced work coaches and working closely with the local authority and Citizens Advice to offer additional help to people."

The spokesperson also said the DWP "secured a commitment to have a housing officer co-located in the Jobcentre before roll-out and then on an ongoing basis" and said the department offered a range of activities at the Curve, a Grenfell community centre, such as IT and employability courses.

The DWP is also working with the council to "further support Grenfell residents", the spokesperson added.

KlutzyDraconequus
Bedroom tax has encouraged people to downsize & free up larger property for families, there has been positive outcomes from this tax.

It affects the economy too. This time last year our local B&M was heaving.

Last week.............tumbleweed. The high streets problems arent just down to internet shopping. Thats just a very handy hook to hang the hat of excuses on.

Awwlookatmybabyspider

If people don’t pay council tax for several years ( and to get to pre commits hearings its not going to be a small debt and will have been to bailiff first, so you want to pay there share or lose service?

yes but some cant find smaller accomadation and are then hit by the tax

if they want to down size and smaller is not avalable i dont think they should be taxed,they are willing to be there is no where

im all for freeing up under ocuppied housing but there has to be housing to go to

4 - it's all done online. So for any claimants who don't have access to an online device or internet, who aren't computer literate, who have sight issues or reading disabilities (while there's SUPPOSED to be alternatives available its murder accessing apparently), or learning disabilities, or MH issues

These cases I know are treated differently and they are being dealt with on the telephone & face to face, both for new cases and swapping people from the old UC to the new UC

ivy its well bloody known by now that housing associations have been selling off properties (in some cases as bloody holiday homes) Yet the tenant blaming still persists.

Ivykaty - are you for real? NO people should not be imprisoned for being poor!! I'd far rather the likes of David McGreavy, rose west, Ian Huntley & similar were KEPT in prison, rather than released because the prisons are "overcrowded" due to people being imprisoned for the "crime" of being poor!

"These cases I know are treated differently and they are being dealt with on the telephone & face to face, both for new cases and swapping people from the old UC to the new UC" evidence that this isn't the minority please - because it's VERY far from what I'm seeing/hearing both in real life/locally and online.

Torybot? JRM?

Bedroom tax has encouraged people to downsize & free up larger property for families, there has been positive outcomes from this tax.

Again evidence please? Social housing is massively over subscribed where I live, took me years and a period of homelessness to get one!

Most are 2/3 bedrooms, a few 4 no 1 beds to my knowledge.

As pps say why are people penalised if a smaller peppery plain doesn't exist?!

Bedroom tax has encouraged people to downsize & free up larger property for families, there has been positive outcomes from this tax.

First of all 'Bedroom tax' isn't a tax, if you're going to support something at least research facts, figure and actual name of the thing first.
It is a supposed way to save money, but in fact it was just another way to punish the poorest for something they couldn't easily change.

I lived in a 3 bed when my relationship broke down. Ended up under occupied.
So the main breadwinner leaves, I move onto income support and housing benefit. Because I have a spare room they reduce my housing benefit payment by 14%
Now the obvious solution is move to a 2 right? Easy peasy? Positive outcome all round?

Go tell someone with nothing they need £1000s to move home.
Tell someone with greater outgoings than income that they need to find deposits, moving payments etc.
Tell my daughter she's being taken out of her school to move to a new one.
Oh but first, before all that, tell the landlords to accept Housing Benefit.
Tell the housing associations to magic a house up for me to apply for.
Tell the builders to knock up a few 2 bed nearby.
Etc etc etc.

Many poitive outcomes?
There were positive outcomes from WW2... Does that mean WW2 was a good thing?

What utter, utter, utter nonsense.

It was you klutz that referred to it as the bedroom tax, did you really want me to be pedantic and refer to it as under occupancy charge

If there were two of you in a three bedroom house you were under occupied before the relationship breakdown. Many relationships breakdowns end up with people moving house. Councils will often band people higher on a housing list due to downsizing.

Should the poor be sent to prison for non payment of tax? The poor can claim large tax relief for council tax and the maximum in to pay is 15% of the total bill. For a magistrate to send someone to prison for not paying council tax it will have escalated from £150 bill to several thousand and this does take considerable time, bailiff then that not being successful it being sent back and attachment to earnings being used. In the case of attachment to benefit it can’t be more than £3.75 per week and if all else fails it goes to court.

Am I a Tory bot - perhaps read my first post on this thread and search other benefits threads before deciding for yourself

It was you klutz that referred to it as the bedroom tax

You're right, that was taken from a news site though TBF.

If there were two of you in a three bedroom house you were under occupied before the relationship breakdown.

And did you miss the part where I said the main breadwinner left and that led to me needing housing benefit?
Or did you ignore that to suit your position?