Tory Government’s benefit cap is unlawful and causes 'real misery for no good purpose', High Court rules

[Skutterfly]

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-cap-judicial-review-welfare-payments-government-loses-lawsuit-court-case-judge-misery-a7802286.html

Finally

I'm a recently single parent to a just turned 2 year old not in London and at the moment not working. I'm definitely not sitting on my arse doing nothing, a 2 year old doesn't allow that.

I'm in universal credits and here they cap the housing element at £475 a month, my rent is £620 and cheapest for 2 bedroom in the area so the rest has to come out of my other benefit. I just about get half of what the benefit cap amount is so after I have paid my rent and bills and food I don't have cash left but don't think I should do with not working.

Most people will not be anywhere near the cap

Ah you're ok then.

These women weren't.

I don't think we should punish people, I think we should punish employees who aren't paying a living wage.

*employers

Well yes but what judge said still stands then

Our system is dysfunctional and over complicated and people are suffering because of it. People need to be paid properly. We need good social housing. We need to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Putting very expensive sticking plasters on all our problems isn't going to work long-term and things will fall apart.

storm I agree in a way,
You quoted me (I think)
But, actually I think wages are too low. It's shit when someone on benefits could be better off than someone not.
BUT a race to the bottom will get us nowhere but well... the bottom. Shall we all cry that we want the next mans standard of living cut until everyone is living on beans on toast?
Surely we should be pushing for wages to be higher rather than getting outraged at claimants

If someone can't work because they are a single parent to a young child, and their housing benefit is high enough to drive them over the benefits cap, then I think the most desirable outcome is for them to live somewhere cheaper

Oh, FFS! and move every time their rent goes up...or maybe live in a grotty bedsit.
You do realise we are talking about people? Not about storing goods?

That's exactly why we need good secure and affordable social housing for everyone that needs it.

"storm I agree in a way,
You quoted me (I think)
But, actually I think wages are too low. It's shit when someone on benefits could be better off than someone not. "

Yes I totally agree, thats what im finding confusing, that this income is cruel if its benefits but that there is no mention of the minimum wage needing to improve as well.

"People are misunderstanding the cap entirely! The government are not handing the claimants 23k per year salary- this the the total amount they receive including housing benefit, child benefit, and any other entitlements. 20k of it could be going straight to paying their rent (if they live in London) through housing benefit, leaving them barely anything for living and all other bills. I don't understand why this isn't understood!"

But how is that different to someone receiving their wages and then needing to pay rent and bills from it, leaving barely anything?

Austerity doesn't work.

Tory Debt has exploded.

Kills economic growth dead.

I really don't think single parents should have to move away from their community and support network. That would be no good for the parent or the child. Perhaps rent control in London would be a better idea.

But how is that different to someone receiving their wages and then needing to pay rent and bills from it, leaving barely anything?

If that "barely anything" takes you to below a set level you are entitled to benefits too - such as WTC, CTC etc. All benefits are calculated independently to ensure people can pay rent, eat food etc. All the cap does is ensure that some people won't be able to do those things.

I'm a single parent without a family or support network. It's fine. We've never had any problems. We have a few friends, if we moved somewhere else we would make more friends.

I wouldn't be too happy to gloat about this ruling and go by what the judge said. The government has already obtained leave to appeal and I think will pursue this to the supreme court if necessary.

No it doesn't Sylvia. Someone taking home £1900 pm in wages isn't going to be entitled to extra benefits if they choose to spend £1500 on rent instead of £800. They'll be expected to live somewhere cheaper or manage on what's left.

Barbara, entitlement to housing benefit is dependent on the area you live in, how many bedrooms you require and is always below average for that size+area combination. It isn't the case that you can pick where you live and then get benefits to pay for that house. You are entitled to an amount of HB within your local authority and have to find somewhere within that budget.

And, according to the government website, you can apply for HB if you are working.

There are exemptions ti tge cap. If the claimant, their partner or any of their children gets any disability benefits the cap doesn't apply. If any of them are entitled to Carer's Allowance it doesn't apply. If a single person works 16 hours per week (24 between them for a couple) it doesn't apply, and because the cap doesn't apply there's help with childcare costs and uncapped benefits to be had on top of the wages. Therefore if someone can't work due to disabilities they aren't capped. If they are able to work and don't want to be capped they only need work 16 hours per week to lift it, and there's help available for the cost of childcare to facilitate this. There are a lot of appalling things going in in the world of benefits, but I honestly do see that this is one of them taking into account the above.

*to the

But the goverment dont wanna get off their arse and deal with the hundreds of men who dont pay for their children. But are keen to make single mothers struggle more.

I hope the ridiculous bedroom tax and the downrught wrong 'ctc caped at two children' are challenged.

""then I think the most desirable outcome is for them to live somewhere cheaper""

I say this on every one of these threads, but here Liverpool we never had a housing issue, until the bedroom tax.

Now we have three bedroom houses empty and having to be sold by the HA's and people struggling to pay private LL the top up needed for their rent, because they are two bed.

The three beds from the HA are £82 a week, two beds from private LLs start at £115. The HA don't have any two bed houses and the new builds are for working applicants only.

None of these measures are saving money or doing anything for the economy. We need people spending money and children being bought up well and not in poverty.

maybe just maybe if the problem is the high cost of renting they could move to a cheaper area unless they absolutely need to be in London because they work there (full-time) and cannot do the same job elsewhere

But the goverment dont wanna get off their arse and deal with the hundreds of men who dont pay for their children. But are keen to make single mothers struggle more.

I agree with you 100% on this. However, improvements have been made in the last 2 to 3 years. The new CMS is much better than the CSA, which was completely useless. Things have got a lot better, but there is probably still room for improvement.

Why don't the people in question put their children into care and go get a job. They only need to work 16 hours a week to get unlimited benefits. They are taking the piss. £20,000 a year is not poverty.

Gem the boats that's not true, if you are disabled and claiming esa wrag group because you can't work at this time, but MAY be able to at some mythical future date then the benefit cap applies.