To ask why Universal Credit is so terrible? (Not goady)

[evilharpy]

I've seen several threads (one today about food banks which I can't seem to find now) where people have had some strong things to say about Universal Credit and the feeling seems to be that it is contributing to the poverty problem and forcing people to rely on food banks and causing more problems than it's helping with.

I'm wondering what exactly makes it so terrible and why it's so much worse than what came before it. Google hasn't been much help as most of the results are just official links on how to apply for it etc. But it seems to be that it's paid monthly rather than weekly or fortnightly and there's a long wait to get it?

I would just like to understand a bit more about it. And I don't mean this to be in any way insensitive or goady.

“They’ve swallowed the rhetoric about benefit scroungers being workshy and robbing us decent people of our hard earned cash.”

This is nothing but patronising and insulting to those who don’t agree with you. Dismissing everyone as thick is easier for you than thinking about the reality of welfare reform.

And sadly, children have always gone hungry because parents benefits were delayed or stopped. That’s an age old story. The fact that it’s happening more now because the introduction of UC credit has been shoddy is not a reason to dismiss the entire idea when it gives real hope of reforming a damaged welfare system.

Children all around the country are skipping meals and sleeping in cold houses.

If they are it’s becuaeebof shite parenting that is prioritising other things over heating and food.

Good old Helena. Always in the right place at the right time for a sob story.

This isn’t welfare reform. Welfare reform, as I said upthread, would start with education and support. Not slashing funding and benefits.

What is happening in this country is cruel and horrifying. And yes, I’m sorry, but children going hungry, in the Uk, in 20 fucking 17, as a direct result of ‘reforms’ is MORE than enough reason to junk the idea. Where is the humanity?

Of course it’s reform. You don’t get to define reform you know

If they are it’s becuaeebof shite parenting that is prioritising other things over heating and food.
I'm still paying last years heating bill. I can't afford heating this year. It has nothing to do with shite anything other than shite benefits for people with disabilities and removing my benefits because an assessor lied about my capabilities. I was not in a position emotionally, or physically to challenge it at the time. Don't make assumptions about things you very obviously know fuck all about.

Wishing, would you like to tell me how you prioritise heating and food with no money? Or do you mean prioritising things like paying the rent, getting to work, putting petrol in the car to take the kids to school?

This may come as a surprise but not all the people affected are sixty a day smokers with a heroin habit, watching Sky Sports on their flat screen tv.

Good old Helena. Always in the right place at the right time for a sob story
And you're always ready and willing to put someone in their place. Just because you choose to ignore what those of us on benefits are telling you, doesn't mean it isn't true.

Then the parents need to step up. Who would let that happen? I'd do anything to feed my children and keep them warm. Any job or second job if needs be rather than let it get to that.
And if you're a parent with a disability?

Then the parents need to step up. Who would let that happen? I'd do anything to feed my children and keep them warm. Any job or second job if needs be rather than let it get to that

Do you go around with your eyes and ears closed? Or do you think all the anecdotal posting on these forums is made up? Many parents who are struggling to feed their children or keep their homes warm already have jobs, even second jobs. But they are still struggling. Perhaps do some sums....work out what someone gets for 35 hours on minimum wage, put it through benefit calculators and look into the costs of a three bed home plus Council Tax in the cheapest part of your town. Assume 2 children need childcare paid for and that a weekly bus pass will need to be purchased. See if it adds up.

Then work out how you pay all that with no benefit help for 6 weeks.

Come back and tell us how you would then feed your children and keep them warm. Assume no other income, no savings and nothing in your cupboards other than a bag of pasta and a tin of tuna. Half way through the week, insert a hiccup - school shoes get a hole, school trip needs paying for - and work out how you’re going to sort it. Play different levels - job 10 miles away, then 30 miles away and pay for the extra child care. Buy a car and pay he insurance, tax and petrol with the same money you were paying bus fares with. Have your mother enter hospital for 3 weeks and need to pay the taxi fare to visit her twice a week....Would love to hear your thoughts when you’ve done that.

Gilead

You, few weeks ago, said this I buy cheese in 2.5kg blocks. I bought a vacuum sealer specifically for my cheese.

Why the heck didn’t you channel that money towards paying your heating bill rather than 2.5kg cheese and a vacuum sealer machine.

Do you see my point now? Your prioritised a massively unnecessary amount of cheese over heating.

Yeah, Gilead. Why don’t you justify your spending like a good little Benefits Mum to placate the hard working tax payers on this thread?

Do me a favour, Wishing. Fuck off.

Buying cheese in bulk is cheaper, and buying a vacuum sealer (for what, like a tenner?) will keep it fresh.

(Why am I engaging with this bullshit?)

Then the parents need to step up. Who would let that happen? I'd do anything to feed my children and keep them warm. Any job or second job if needs be rather than let it get to that.

Yes because jobs that pay cash in hand within days are ten a penny aren’t they.

And to the poster criticising someone on benefits for what they spend their money on. Who the actual fuck do you think you are? You are no better, no better than anyone despite your obvious superiority complex. How fucking dare you.

Thank you @jingleladies. I am glad you have a way of getting some money to replace the severe disability premium you will be losing when transferred over to Universal Credit. Just out of interest if you are getting the SDP I presume you live alone? So I take it your mum comes to yours and provides care? My mum is in her seventies and has some health conditions. She is not physically able to care for me. She also, thankfully, gets a private pension so would not be entitled I think to the carers allowance as it's a mean tested benefit. I employ carers via the direct payments scheme so unfortunately your option is not something I can do, but thank you for the suggestion, and I am so glad it's an option for you. The SDP cut is significant.

@livelovehappy, thanks for your reply. The severe disability premium I was referring to earlier on this board that is being abolished under universal credit is only for those severely disabled and need high level care who live alone. I have been bedridden now for 5 years with a physical illness (I have to use a chemical toilet by my bed) and I will lose £49 a week when I am transferred to universal credit.

Also please note people are not only disabled but many sick and disabled which is another difference. You can be very disabled but still able to work. Also disability benefits such as PIP and severe disability premium are not out of work benefits but to help with the extra costs of being disabled.

Also if someone is ill, physically or mental, but they might improve in the future, why should they not be entitled to the help whilst they are ill and need the help?

People with long term disabilities and illnesses have undergone many cuts the last few years with more to come when they are transferred to universal credit. Also the assessment process is not fit for purpose. They are wrongly assessing people as not entitled or giving a too low award. Many have to go through the appeal process which is incredibly stressful and makes their health conditions worse. I had to appeal my last PIP (the disability benefit that has replaced DLA) as though I am bedridden and I have a microwave at the end of my bed to reheat the meal my carer cooked and prepared for me the assessor ludricously said I could cook with aids. I also had good medical evidence, all ignored. I had to start the appeal process and they eventually closed it and gave me the correct award, but they put me through hell for those few months. I know many others who have experienced incorrect awards. People keep saying of course the vulnerable should be protected, but they are not being protected. The severely sick and disabled are experiencing severe cuts.

Also those too sick to work or disabled but not as ill or disabled as the most severe have had so much provision stripped away due to the disability criteria being narrowed considerably. The level of health my illness was in my first few years of my disease would now entitle me to hardly any additional financial help, but I was still ill with many difficulties and certainly couldn't have worked in a regular job even at that level. I have always been grateful the State provided for me when I became sick but it's very hard to see the provisions reduced and to go through the repeated stressful application process which is not fit for purpose.

@KathArtic, I have just seen your snide comment to @Helenadove. Are you going to acknowledge that you mixed up severe disablement Allowance with the severe disability premium, a separate benefit which is being abolished under Universal Credit? A loss of £49 for those who live alone and need care? Or just stick to your snide comments?

@evilharpy, I hope you feel your question as to why many people believe the Universal Credit will be difficult for many has been answered by the replies on here. Thank you for asking and seeking information on it.

To add to my penultimate comment above, to be clear that is a £49 per week cut by abolishing the severe disablity premium under UC.

AnachronisticCorpse

You can’t even concede that someone complaining that they are struggling to pay their heating bill from last year but three weeks ago posts that she purchases her cheese by the 2.5kg and bought a vacuum sealer machine is not a case of someone choosing to prioritise something pretty unnecessary over something pretty bloody necessary.

Well I’m willing to bet that whatever the cheese cost wouldn’t have come close to the cost of heating the house or paying off last years bill. So then there’s no heating and pricier cheese. Lose lose.

I could accuse you of not prioritising because if you went without something you could spend that money on your kids. We all make choices on how to spend our money and no one has to justify it to anyone. So wind your neck in.

And hey, this’ll pickle your head. DH earns ze big bucks and I’m on ESA. I’m drinking a £40 bottle of gin and typing this on my new iPad. That’s your hard earned taxes, that is. Or something.

Impossible!

Wishing I bought the vacuum sealer when I was still working. I buy cheese from Makro. It's cheaper that way. See, you expect a disabled woman to justify her spending. Heat or eat? You choose...

Jesus, some people just can't wait to put us benefit scrounging scum in our place, can they?