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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The Tories and their new hoops for the working poor to jump through.

316 replies

HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 17:36

If you are not working enough hours or cant get enough hours you will apparently be sanctioned. Unbelievable Confused I cant see some employers being happy with this either although they should be paying a living wage in the first place. Because ppl who have been sanctioned are hardly going to be able to get to work are they?

Ridiculous and vindictive.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/ministers-are-reaching-beyond-scroungers-and-aiming-britain-s-working-poor

OP posts:
gamerchick · 16/02/2015 17:46

Well the propaganda has been relentless and intense. It would have to have been building up to something big wouldn't it?

Nothing this lot do surprise me, they properly scare me.

pluCaChange · 16/02/2015 18:22

Oh, Jesus... Sad What a shit time to be poor, or young.

RebootYourEngine · 16/02/2015 18:30

The Tories scare me & I mean properly scare me. What kind of world do they live in.

I work just under 20 hours per week & that is enough for me at the moment because my child is still young. I have been looking into changing that (going back to uni) so that when she is older I can have a career & increase my wages.

I believe that all parents or one parent if in a couple should be allowed to stay at home and look after their children until the children are in secondary school & are less reliant on childcare.

The80sweregreat · 16/02/2015 18:35

Plu, agree. Its terrible.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 16/02/2015 18:36

He really is a cunt isn't he?

blackheartsgirl · 16/02/2015 18:36

jesus christ is there anything this government won't stoop too

Newyearsunresolutions · 16/02/2015 18:39

I just had shivers down my spine reading that.

blackheartsgirl · 16/02/2015 18:42

I can see a rise in parents being forced to leave their kids home alone if forced into working more hours just to avoid the sanctions

JudgeRinderSays · 16/02/2015 18:45

This has been known about for literally years.It is to stop people deliberately working short hours and expecting the taxpayer to make up the difference.
I feel sorry for people on zero hours though, employer doesn't give them the hours and then they get penalised by HMRC for it too.

Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:45

Actually thinking about it i shouldnt think that landlords or housing associations will be too happy either.

OP posts:
26Point2Miles · 16/02/2015 18:46

if you are working what will they sanction? do you mean tax credits?

Imachocolateportal · 16/02/2015 18:46

It appears (locally to me anyway) that so many people have been forced into 0 hour contracts, that this is now another way to kick people who are already struggling.

Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:48

blackheart i tried to get that point across in the recent thread about the little boy who was sent to school ill as a lot of posters on there were saying that there is "never an excuse" but these policies will ensure things like this happen a lot more often.

OP posts:
Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:50

Housing Benefit is included too.

OP posts:
SnowWhiteAteTheApple · 16/02/2015 18:55

Judge, I agree. Working just a few hours or choosing to have one adult in the household not working should have been stopped a long time ago. The new reforms will mean people have to support themselves as much as possible, how can that be a bad thing?

Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:55

YY JudgeRinder There was a very knowledgable MNer posting about this on here over 3 years ago.

OP posts:
Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:56

I can see people entering the sex industry due to these policies.

OP posts:
26Point2Miles · 16/02/2015 18:57

sex industry? that's a bit random!

Original poster
HelenaDove · 16/02/2015 18:59

26 when its a choice between that or eating/heating and now possible eviction i dont think its random at all.

OP posts:
RenterNomad · 16/02/2015 19:01

If housing weren't so inflationarily, unreasonably expensive, there would be a lot more leeway in life...

blackheartsgirl · 16/02/2015 19:03

I think so too Helena. If the choice is between sending your sick child to school or risk harsh sanctions then you will choose the former. I know I would. I have no family to fall back on either for child care. I would also consider keeping one of my older dc off school for the day to look after sick child too if I had to.

Does this affect couples with only one job and children too. Will tax credits be included in the sanctions. I'm really quite worried about this

sliceofsoup · 16/02/2015 19:09

There just aren't enough full time jobs to sustain this. Its very worrying. But it has been in the pipeline since UC was first outlined.

Can anyone remember the criteria for a couple with children?

sliceofsoup · 16/02/2015 19:10

Tax credits are being replaced by UC. The sanctions will apply to the UC equivalents of Housing Benefit and Tax credits.

ilooklikemrsploppy · 16/02/2015 19:12

What a depressing read that was.

caroldecker · 16/02/2015 19:13

It is a trial to see if it does increase the earnings of people on benefit. Why should people who work 40 hours a week subsidise people who choose to work only 16 hours and get benefits?