To ask you to object to this? Pre-paid benefits cards

[LuisSuarezTeeth]

a step too far

We're talking about human beings.

Thanks Arsenic and those that have already signed.

Have signed it, I just hope the government pay attention to it

Can only try AWitch

This will come along with a paring back of the welfare state. The general public are resentful of benefit claimants and the Tories are busy harnessing this.Programmes showing some benefit claimants taking advantage of the system don't help.

Last time this came up, sometime last year, then got dropped - I'd started to organise a local campaign to buy the cards at face value off people, so they would have cash to choose where to shop. This could be something organised through trades unions, residents' associations, churches etc.

NB It's already in place for some asylum seekers. I have seen people in my local tescos handing over vouchers for their shopping, I didn't want to intrude to ask if they could be spent anywhere or just in named supermarkets ie the Tories' mates.

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Good for you pamish, what a great idea.

Sorry to post this again like I did on the other thread but this is the link to the Red Cross summary points, with further link to the full report, on the existing system for refused asylum seekers. It's not clear how similar the system that's been announced for benefit claimants would be.

Why no soap? The mind boggles

Great idea, Pamish.

The Azure card system certainly allows for soap and other basic toiletries?

One of the problems with it though is that understanding of the scheme varies a lot among shop staff and people have endless problems being refused permission at tills to buy things that ARE allowed under the scheme; also staff take it on themselves to request ID etc which isn't necessary under the terms of the scheme. Clearly supermarkets are happy to sign up to the scheme but not to invest time in training their own staff in how to manage the tedious bureaucracy of this sort of thing.

Done.

Signed, shared and marking place :)

I've signed it. It's dehumanising and infantilising, as well as unnecessarily controlling.

"I don't think we do have a right to choice when we are relying on the government"

I am relying on a government-managed INSURANCE scheme which I paid into for 35 years.

I paid very willingly, never dreaming that I'd one day need to claim, in the belief that this scheme insured everybody in the UK against extreme hardship. I repeat, we're not relying on the government; we're relying on a massive insurance policy. That policy is now being diverted, much as Mr Maxwell diverted my pension, into private funds.

The assumption that Tesco & Asda will be beneficiaries comes from the original proposal for this card, which named them as providers. Whether that detail has changed or not, we may safely assume the providers WILL be Tory-donating corporations in whom our Ministers own shares - just like the healthcare providers now raking in money intended for the NHS.

This latest idea from IDS is a joke, designed to show daily Mail readers they are being tough on scroungers. It will do nothing to tackle the real problem of a small minority who play the system and have no intention of working. I'm sick of everyone on benefits being tarred with the same brush while the real scroungers just carry on claiming year after year. I'll sign your petition.

Signed.

Thanks all

As I said upthread, I don't know who Elaine Kelly is, but thank her for starting this petition.

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"I don't think we do have a right to choice when we are relying on the government"

So, bit of a contrast to "parents must be allowed to choose which state school" and "we're restructuring the NHS because patients must have choice".

I also disagree with you that they removes people's ability to budget. they don't affect a person's ability to do anything, except the ability to choose what they spend it on. Which is the whole point.

Is a shop going to be able to accept a card for 40p? Or will you have to spend a minimum or pay 50p fee?

I could get that sweepimg the floor in the hairdressers or working in the chip shop. I physically can't do either of those things

Will claimants be able to use the prepayment card in charity shops or eBay when they buy clothing and shoes?

How does one use it in a street market where it's usually cheaper to buy food but cash only?

Thats part of the point Jam there will be restrictions on where you can use it. I think the Azure Card allows use in one charity shop.

Will it really happen though? I mean, i'm no lawyer but there must be something like the equality act that means they cannot inflict this on disabled people? If not and they can inflict it, what about DLA/PIP and carers allowance. Surely these must be paid in cash. The whole thing is bloody outrageous. In the USA they have these cards but they are only for food, US claimants also get some welfare assistance in cash. Sorry for the rant but this really stinks.

I can see people downing their tools soon and saying. "W.T.F am I paying my taxes for if young people will only be paid benefits for 6 months.!!!!!.
If they are not fortunate enough to find a job within those 6 months. They survive. How exactly. !!

I can't.

They'll only down tools when they have no money themselves. Until then, they won't give a shit about anyone else. Only when the majority of the public are all as poor as everyone else and see that their money doesn't go anywhere at all, while still wanting everything they can't have- then things may start to rumble a little. Until then, it's every dog for itself.

DLA/PIP and Carers Allowance aren't primarily for ordinary shopping though - they're for personal care and mobility. Not every disabled person gets them and shortly 20% fewer disabled people will get them (that's what PIP's all about).

That still leaves the disabled person actually eating and replacing the kitchen tap washer and buying knickers out of Incapacity Benefit/ESA. And feeding and clothing the children and paying for school things out of IS.

So all the problems of a non-transferrable card still pertain.

Smiles well indeed: that's the point of the divide-and-rule strategy. That's why the whipping up against this sub-group and that sub-group, till everyone's a sub-group.

Because united all the people screwed by this government form a majority.