To think unversal credit is a disaster *trigger warning*

[jnfrrss]

This just popped up in my feed. Talking about someone that had an abortion as they wouldn't be able to afford the child without credits. It's not just an isolated issue, a charity says they've had a huge increase in women contacting about abortions as now they won't be able to afford to have any more children. I'm not sure what the answer is but this is very worrying

www.mirror.co.uk/money/it-wasnt-planned-very-wanted-12480380

EXCLUSIVE: People on Universal Credit are being refused prescriptions and dental care
Josiah Mortimer
Josiah Mortimer
20 October, 2017

"GPs and dental practices can't tell who is eligible for free treatment under Universal Credit - meaning some claimants are going without,

People are being denied prescriptions and dental care because practices do not know whether Universal Credit claimants are eligible for free treatment, according to reports seen by Left Foot Forward.

Under the current welfare regime, those on certain benefits – such as Jobseekers’ Allowance – receive free NHS prescriptions and dental treatment, Healthy Start vouchers and other government-funded support.

But the Conservatives’ Universal Credit scheme wraps several benefits into one. While the principle has broad cross-party support, dental practices and GPs are now unsure who is eligible to receive free treatment.

Those on working tax credits, for example, are not eligible for free treatment – but practices have no information on whether UC claimants are receiving the tax credits element of UC, in which case they’re ineligible, or the JSA element.

The confusion is leaving people already on the margins either having to fork out for dental care and prescriptions themselves – leaving them out of pocket – or going without treatment altogether, according to testimony the single parents charity Gingerbread has received, which has been seen by Left Foot Forward.

The problem stems from the fact that the administration system hasn’t caught up. There is no way on NHS forms to make it clear how to declare that individuals are on UC – whereas for existing benefits, such as income support or JSA, there are specific boxes to confirm eligibility.

One single mum in touch with Gingerbread has incurred fines because of the changes in health assistance under UC. She has received a letter from the NHS informing her that she owes money for dental treatment and a prescription, explaining that they have fined her as a result.

She says she was never fully informed how UC would affect her NHS support – and is currently unable to pick up a prescription given to her GP because she can’t afford to pay. She says she will only be able to get this essential prescription when she receives her next payment.

Daisy Srblin, Policy Officer at Gingerbread, told Left Foot Forward:

“The arbitrary waits built into the system clearly cause significant problems when a parent transitions onto UC. But the challenges people face don’t end there – day-to-day financial difficulties are made worse by unexpected costs such as dental fees and prescriptions.

“The official advice is pay first and claim later – but for many this is a cost they simply can’t afford. 

“We want to see the administrative challenges resolved, and for Universal Credit claimants to be supported as they are entitled to be so that they are not pushed further into debt.”

Another single mum Gingerbread has spoken to has received a letter notifying her of prescription charges. The NHS informed her that she needs to provide them with a full breakdown of her UC award so they can assess her eligibility for support.

However, her Job Centre are telling her that the information they have provided her to date is enough – despite it being different to the documents requested by the NHS. With no consistent guidance and no money to pay the charges herself, she doesn’t know how to resolve the issue.

Any company that can't pay a living wage shouldn't be trading!

So the NHS cant get it together enough to sort out the problems with prescriptions but can get it together enough to use the situation to get workfarers in hospitals.

And ppl were annoyed with Poundworld!

I don't understand the issue with prescriptions as the GP surgery doesn't ask you to pay it, it is up to you to tick one of the exemptions on the back of the prescription.

I don't understand the issue with prescriptions as the GP surgery doesn't ask you to pay it, it is up to you to tick one of the exemptions on the back of the prescription

You can get the prescription but can’t get it filled.

At all chemists I’ve ever been to I’ve had to show my medical exemption certificate to get free prescriptions (although I actually don’t exercise the privilege apart from for specific meds). I presume it’s the same for other categories; that you need proof.

Are you seriously saying somebody who manages to engage with the state enough to get multiple benefit claims in are simply going to become incapable when faced with the NHS

I think this is a valid point, especially given the constant insistence that it's practically impossible to get benefits for ... well, almost anything really. And yet we're expected to accept that someone who's navigated the (hideous) process is somehow incapable of sorting out contraception

What about the kids. The children of the most criminal, feckless parents you can possibly draw a stereotype of still need a fair crack at life, don’t they? Or else aren’t we just perpetuating the cycle?

Responsibility seems a dirty word to some on here, but if any exists let's at least put it where it belongs. Those perpetuating the cycle are all too often the parents, and except in the direst circumstances it's not the state's job to raise other peoples' children

From twitter.

Freddy Bin Yusuf
‏ @freddybinyusuf
Apr 29

Free NHS prescription form has no box for Universal Credit now I'm being fined £51.60 for each prescription and I've had about 16 prescriptions in last 8 months so I'm looking at a £825.60 fine and if I don't pay it goes up to £1620

My issue with universal credits is
1- it’s 2 children per household so men can have 2 kids with as many women as they so choose realistically,
2- It encourages living apart of couples. Realistically a couple could have 4 kids so long as Mum lives with 2 in one house and dad with 2 in the other.
3- It doesn’t take into consideration your situation when you had said kids. My mum when she had me was working as was my dad. She lived at home with her father so could afford both kids. She never in a million years expected my dad to get cancer and die when I was just a year old. What about those who have worked for 15 years never needing any help for 3 kids that get made redundant/get sick etc. Why shouldn’t we be paying for all 3 kids? It would be a new claim so New rules apply.

Are you seriously saying somebody who manages to engage with the state enough to get multiple benefit claims in are simply going to become incapable when faced with the NHS

Multiple? And the ones who aren’t able to engage with services easily are unlikely to be claiming everything they’re entitled to anyway, which kind of makes all the vitriol on this thread a bit silly doesn’t it?

Agree with lots of posters - how many children people choose to have is nothing to do with the state and how those same people choose to pay for them is nothing to do with the taxpayer.

This country is almost at full employment, time for some tough love...

Multiple?. You have to apply for each child.

I presume it’s the same for other categories; that you need proof

You don’t need proof for prescription contraception as it’s universally free.

But people who are not on benefits don’t have the right to have a constantly expanding family subsidised if they can’t afford it. They’re actually in the same boat as almost everybody else bar the very rich. It’s asking for an extra right, not an equal one.

This.

I have two children. I can’t afford any more, despite being a higher rate taxpayer, so... I don’t have any more.

That fact of life shouldn’t be any different for the poorest on benefits. The taxpayer should not pick up the tab.

Speaking as someone who has been forced into an industry which I never should have been forced into due to UC.

Here are some facts about UC some of you may find it helpful to be aware of (especially those who voted for this) -

Since UC started there have been numerous cuts to the allowances, the slogan 'making work pay' is no longer true, as majority of working people are worse off on this system than on the previous tax credits system. As a working single parent, I am £30 a week worse off if I had no deductions for debt which were a manageable amount before, currently £75 a week worse off due to debt hence the above.

UC is not just for the unemployed, it also affects anyone who currently gets any amount of tax credits.

There are cuts to disabled people's incomes, and cuts to disabled children's money as well.

Hardship funds have now been made re-payable loans.

Many, many UC claimants are being told they suddenly have 'tax credit overpayments' upon moving to UC, despite the fact that tax credits were finalised yearly and signed off as correct, so any overpayments would have been noticed during the year or the end of that tax year. Too many people are receiving these overpayments to be true, and are having 100s deducted for these apparent debts from their uc every month, along with council tax arrears, advance repayments, rent arrears, utility arrears. This needs to be looked into asap, as it's not right, there is something very fishy here..

Self employed claimants are assessed as if they made 35 hrs x nmw (single or children over 12), 25 hrs x nmw (children 5-12) or 16 hrs x nmw (children up to 5). Even if they did not earn this amount.

This is one of the worst aspects - if someone is paid on a schedule anything other than monthly pay (so paid 4 weekly or weekly as many low paid jobs are) - then if 2 paydays fall in one monthly 'assessment period' as happens to everyone at least once a year - the next month the person will get NO universal credit , this will never 'balance out' due to the way uc works. They didn't earn any more, it's just dates that make them lose out on the minimum UC is supposed to top them up. Leaving them to pay EVERYTHING on minimum wages. Someone said the problem is wages and I agree in part - how can the minimum wage of take home £260 a week and that's full time - keep families , where rents are the price they are now?! The people relying on UC are not scroungers, they are victims of over inflated living costs and low wages, and those disabled who cannot work are being discriminated against in the name of austerity.

Another of the worst aspects - no longer will childcare be paid upfront - the claimant has to somehow find the money for childcare, pay it upfront and submit the receipts in the hope it will be refunded by uc. How can a single parent earning say £140 a week find hundreds or even thousands for childcare upfront?? There is no guarantee it will be paid back by UC either - if childcare costs more than your wages (happens to many with more than one child on nmw - we all know the price of childcare) then uc won't refund it, and they won't refund childcare for your travel to work either.

Even working people can be sanctioned under UC. If they are deemed not to have enough hours.

Working people have to sign on under UC and are even expected to take time off work to do so. If they are not earning the required amount. So a single parent on 20 hours @ nmw is expected to go to appointments sign on and look for more hours.

Working people as above cannot even take their own Annual Leave from work under UC - they still have to attend appointments or be sanctioned.

Currently only about 10% of people are on UC. When it is fully rolled out, then anyone who currently gets even a penny of tax credits, or help with childcare - the above is coming to you..

Some people have no idea of the reality..

Responsibility seems a dirty word to some on here, but if any exists let's at least put it where it belongs. Those perpetuating the cycle are all too often the parents, and except in the direst circumstances it's not the state's job to raise other peoples' children

I believe in responsibility on the part of grown people, but the problem is that there is no way to enforce people being responsible. And there is a known cycle of poverty.

It just becomes a question of ethics and balance - do you believe it's okay to remove a safety net leaving vulnerable children at further risk because their household income is lower? Is it okay to pay parents more cash and risk them being irresponsible and it not going on the kids anyway? Is there a better solution, e.g. expanding the healthy/sure start initiatives and ensuring schools are funded enough to provide 2 solid square meals a day for all children so children with a disadvantage are taken care of without the express involvement of the parents?

It's difficult. I just think that childhoods being marred by poverty should not be a thing, for anyone of those poor little souls.

It’s asking for an extra right, not an equal one

Exactly.

If they want things equal then we should scrap the two child rule as they already get two paid for that those who earn over the threashold can't claim for. Somehow I don't think they will want equality then.

Who says this country is at full employment, a lot of employed are on 0 hours, and some are only offered a 212 hour week, to bump the employment figures up, and all the hassle trying to get UC payments its a djsgrace,
Who votes these people in, obviously those who dont need help,----yet,i hope one day they find themselves in the same situation,
No one should have to go to foodbanks etc in this day and age

sosick.....................when i first joined MN 7 years ago there was a poster called Huntycat who warned all that was going to happen.

Many told her that she was scaremongering.

Thank you sosickandtired, I have heard a lot about these negatives but they are not talked about in the media very much - it's very worrying. I receive working and child tax credits and I'm dreading the day my area rolls out UC.

People who already receive benefits and are in privately rented houses are going to be absolutely fucked; there will be en masse eviction notices :(

Universal Credit needs to be changed/fixed, and fast.. before any more human collateral damage is caused.

In particular the deductions need set at a lower repayment amount, the 5 week month problem, and the claimant required to pay upfront for high childcare costs need changed. These policies are directly hitting the poor and their children, those on a low wage doing the jobs society needs such as stacking your shelves, looking after your elderly..

The government can fix Universal Credit, but they don't want to, it's a deliberate ideology which is forcing disabled/unemployed/low waged people and their children into poverty and into food banks at a unprecedented level. Nothing I posted was about the 2 child policy.. there are other problems with UC.

Sorry guys - limited sympathy. Benefits should be a safety net not a career option. This country is almost at full employment...

lovemylover

The government are happy to allow 0 hour contracts, as well as UC methods of "employment" (basically forced employment in any job going, regardless of your career plans or if you are worse off due to childcare costs, and there is also a large radius of acceptable "jobs" so you could face long and costly commutes) so that they can claim unemployment is at an all time low under their fantastic government,

It is not a true reflection of what is really happening.

Sosick, why shouldn't a hardship payment be paid back? Surely it's just an advance on the claim.

The tightening up on SE people is long over due, far too many used it to get around the system, avoid the caps all under guise of they were working.

Likewise I'm glad they are cracking down on part time work. Working part time is fine if you can afford it but shouldn't be subsided by other.

Paying back debts again needs to be done. You don't get to opt out.

I'm sure it's not without flaws just like any other state system but something needed doing.

Silver a lot of HAs are evicting straight away Read the buzzfeed link re. Clarion Housing. I linked it before i read the thread so i didnt realize that pps linked it. My link is at the top of page 11