Martin Lewis issues a stark warning

[GreenLunchBox]

And I'm really quite scared what's going to happen 😭

twitter.com/MartinSLewis/status/1549305060320067585?t=2QJm_R-HS3gXtUUCoy_8tA&s=19

I think it's quite the opposite. He says things that the government don't want to hear /deal with.

A universal basic income of perhaps £2000 per month plus and extra amount for each child in the household (£300-400), and a premium for single parents (another £1500), would be a very simple system to administer so save a ton of money in bureaucracy and admin, and also make the economy and people much healthier. Save NHS a fortune, etc.

So why doesn't it happen?

As always, cui bono? Who benefits from the status quo?

That is why is doesn't happen.

A UBI of that amount would probably mean that many people wouldn't bother working at all or only very part time.

Who's going to pay for that to happen?

That’s more than double what I earn as a teacher! 😂

I’d pack my job in if I was getting that for nothing.

Where on earth would this money come from?

Suggestions like this make me realise that people are completely clueless. You are talking about giving a family with two children a 4800 post tax income each month! A single parent with 3 children approximately the same!

I think that many people who haven’t ever claimed benefits have no clue how much they can add up to. There was a post the other day from a woman who was in line for about 2400 a month, as many posters pointed out that was more than they had after tax. The sheer amount of money paid out to people already is eye watering the idea that everyone should get the equivalent of 2000 a month just for existing is laughable!. As a pp said, you could kiss goodbye to the teaching profession at that point, probably nurses etc as well. If I was receiving a 2000 a month subsidy I certainly wouldn’t then work full time in a thankless role on top of that!

Whilst it would be cheaper than the current system of checking claims, £2000 a month is just ridiculous. And where would it come from? Half of that would be enough for a single person surely?

As other posters have said this is madness

With such a big incentive not to work where would the money come from?

@TurquoisePterodactyl probably had some vague notion about 'taxing the rich' to pay for it.

The problem is that there's not that many very rich people/companies and millions of average people.

For example, if you took a billion pounds from a billionaire or a massive company and divided it amongst all of the 67 million UK population, it would work out at less than £15 each.

How would that work? That’s more than I take home, full-time, in London, in my 50s, with a first-class degree from a top university. It indicates that some people have no idea about real salaries in real jobs. My DD earns 21k gross, in London - that’s with a first-class degree from a top university. The global company I work for takes on graduates - salary is 19.5k.

Modern Monetary Theory. The government could help out but it’s a political choice not too. Goes against Conservative party ethos that you get where you are through your own efforts and not through state interference . Doesn’t factor in that it is practically impossible to advance in this country if you’re starting at the bottom without any money or connections. Austerity was wrong on very many levels and totally unnecessary.

How is he their hand puppet when he's telling them they're doing it all wrong?

I quite fancy him. 😳

He can unnecessarily warn me any time he likes.

😆thanks for this, it was a much needed lol moment in an otherwise depressing thread

Have people not been keeping up to date with the predicted fuel rises....
Judging by comments, many seem to think it's scaremongering... from Martin Lewis, above all people. He really is a people's champion so please stop being an ostrich. Otherwise, the reality is going to kick you hard and keep you down. Take heed of the warnings and take do what you can to mitigate the hike.

I switch off every non-essential plugs, until I want to use the item, NOTHING ON STANDBY.

No heating on, no hot water on until I need it, then I just do a 1 hour quick setting for the water I need. 5-minute showers only. TV, WiFi, cooker! All plug sockets are 'SWITCHED OFF' at the sockets. I need them, I use them and then switch them off the sockets.

The only thing that stays on in the house is the Fridge Freezer and the sunrise alarm clock.

I requested monthly bills from my supplier, British Gas, as I always take monthly readings anyway. This way I can never get in over my head. On the last day of every month, I send a reading of gas and electric. A bill comes within 7 days, which clashes nicely with my pay. If I'm using too much, I can assess what I'm using and how. Then tweak. There is no way I can let myself get into 3 months of potential arrears and then try to catch up. I'd rather use more blankets and change the way I live. I'm not working to give it to energy companies, so they can pay their shareholder. NFW!

My last 2 bills have benn just 1/3 of my normal use by doing this. Don't just let it happen, be proactive and see what steps you can take to back some control.

So can even get solar string lights and stick the panel in the window. Come night you have free lights.

Look into the benefits of fasting, which can help you get healthier through Autophagy. This way we don't feel so deprived, focusing on high nutrition when we do eat, improving our health, and losing excess weight.

The situation is not great, but there are steps you can take along with changing how you look at things.

I do understand not everyone can do this, but it may help some.

*been

I'm going to keep my direct debit as it is and just repay over the next decade. I've decided I can't pay anymore and they will have to wait .

A universal ‘basic’ income of £2000 a month, extra for each child, extra for single parents ????!!! It doesn’t happen because it’s unaffordable and a disincentive to work. Universal Credit tops up wages but also now encompasses most means tested benefits, including housing benefit and is just the latest incarnation of what, in the 1950s was National Assistance, which became Supplementary Benefit, then Income Support and finally UC. As with all forms of benefit support it’s been taken advantage of and has resulted in employers paying inadequate wages, relying on the tax payer to provide a safety net. What would increase productivity is employers paying decent wages instead of gouging the tax payer.

Actually thats a good idea

Look into the benefits of fasting, which can help you get healthier through Autophagy. This way we don't feel so deprived, focusing on high nutrition when we do eat, improving our health, and losing excess weight.

Autophagy is triggered after at least 24 hours of fasting... maybe even 48 hours depending on what article you are looking at.
You are basically saying that people should be happy (and look into the health benefits) with starving for up to 2 days at a time.
I know about fasting and autophagy.. and it is not recommend for kids, teens, or people with a low BMI.

I dont think turning off appliances every night makes much difference?

I used to fast on a normal day and have one meal for dinner (can’t currently as breastfeeding so need to have lunch). But I don’t think it’s cheaper.

To eat like this sustainably over months and years is just a completely different way to how most people eat. That one meal needs to have EVERYTHING in it. You really can’t skimp - full fat everything, salads/veg, carbs, breads, high fat % meat, nuts, quality diary, sides etc.

For example a stir fry. Most would just buy the meal deal for every two people. Chicken, stir fry veg, noodles for 2 and sauce.

When we have stir fry for two people we have starter of the prawn crackers, then main of chicken, stir fry veg, noodles for 2 per person (so two packets), extra veg (maybe pakchoi or broccoli or pea shoots etc.), a whole packet of nuts, honey, tofu and the sauce packet. As well as sides like the deep fry rolls, wonton parcels with sweet chill sauce. And then pudding. And I would add lime slices on the side just because I like them.

And that’s just one example. It really adds up unless you get pro with the meal planning and buy in bulk and organise the meals to work together so nothing goes out of date.

Completely agree. When I first read those figures I thought insane.

As the poster who originally suggested it off the cuff really I am just wondering how do we actually solve this, because as you said I am a real wage worker in my day job and my colleagues are too. I have a couple of businesses I do on the side that earn good money but that’s all additional and it’s taken years of working evening and weekend before that payed dividends. I don’t use that money for everyday living because I shouldn’t have to and like to live within normal means.

But I sat on it today for a while and just totting up the figures in my head it’s looking like inflation for average household will be more than 10k by year out. Say 5k on energy, 1k on fuel/travel, 2/3k on food, and when the landlords remortgage or household need to remortgage well that’s the rest and more.

Someone on 19k just can’t eat that up. There’s just no way whatsoever the maths add up.

I still think the suggestion is too high. But another 12 months of this at current rate of inflation and well it might not be so wild. Unthinkable really.

I hope the posters who slated Martin Lewis on here accusing him of being a drama queen come back and admit they were wrong after todays energy cap has been revealed.
Martin has been trying to raise awareness and help the public and shame the government into doing something but he has faced abuse

They dont care and they are back working at tory party head office

I took some time this morning to put all the rates from 2021, current, Oct 22 increase in cap and through to the next 3 quarters projected forecast cap increases.

I'm currently on British Gas standard variable rate. They offered me a fixed rate on 10th August but I was on holiday & didn't see it. Its now off the table.

Regardless, by sticking to the std variable rate is am no worse off than if I had taken the recent fixed offer.

My energy use costs over a year is going up from £952 per annum in mid 2021, to £2050 now and £3240 under October cap. April 23 projects to £6195.37 which is a bit terrifying. Thats not allowing for the grant we are all getting any any reduced use we manage as a household.

I'm not going to be in a worse position being on the SVR to being fixed - and I can't even get a fixed OFFER at the moment.

It's worth running the numbers.

I hope the posters who slated Martin Lewis on here accusing him of being a drama queen come back and admit they were wrong after todays energy cap has been revealed.

No, they will be on other forums spreading lies. That's what The Party pays them for.