To ask how people will cope with Universal credit cut.

[ponyexpress22]

Surely they aren't going ahead with cutting it by £20 a week? I'm shocked that the government could stoop this low. What the hell are they doing.

General question to whoever feels like answering…

Did you vote Conservative in the last election? Knowing that it was a party led by a man who has only ever known immense privilege, is a proven liar, and doesn’t give a fuck about most of his own children?

If so, then why does this turn of events surprise you? What made you think he’d suddenly start caring about the plight of poor people? He doesn’t care. He has never cared. People voted for his party anyway, and this is what happens.

@listentomydeclaration

By not having 4 or 5 kids. By spending their money more wisely (no fags or junk food) By getting a job

And I say that as someone who works (and gets disability benefits) and also as someone who used to work for the DWP.

The majority of UC claimants, from my experience, need to make better decisions.

And it was someone like you who made the telly comment to me. But then I guess conversely a TV is a luxury item that being on benefits I shouldn't have so I guess I'm a bit stuck aren't I.

People like you shouldn't work in an area like that. Where's your compassion and understanding? Do you know nothing about life for people below the breadline? No understanding of people who have nothing much of anything in general? Well it's quite clear you don't.

Hope you got a good price for him. You did declare it so your benefit was adjusted, didn’t you?

Reasonable price and since it was under the threasehold didn't need to declare.

Money being cut, taxes going up, prices rising, food shortages...
Johnson thinks he is Churchill, but he is really Callaghan.
''Crisis? What Crisis..?''

@Gimlisaxe

Hope you got a good price for him. You did declare it so your benefit was adjusted, didn’t you?

Reasonable price and since it was under the threasehold didn't need to declare.

That’s all right then. Because we’d have to take you out and stone you if you got a penny more than you should.

@Blossomtoes

You would have to get past the security on my massive mansion I live in, that the council pays for

I need more information on how the better decisions described should be achieved.

By not having 4 or 5 kids.

What should they do about pre-existing children? Shove them back up their mother's vag or send them for slaughter? And how much should the children be punished for their parents decisions?

By spending their money more wisely (no fags or junk food)

How should we monitor what they're spending their money on? And should this monitoring be extended to the entire population? Who should be responsible for deciding who is allowed to buy which products? How should people who break these rules be punished?

By getting a job

As stated uptrend, there are more unemployed people than there are vacancies? What should we do with the excess unemployed people? And how will people be matched to suitable vacancies?

We have amongst the lowest benefits in Europe, with or without the £20. I think people on UC should keep the £20, people should not be deliberately shoved into destitution, it is disgraceful.

FWIW I have never claimed unemployment benefit, apart from in the university holidays back in the days when you still could.

People saying they don't get the £20 so others should not are a disgrace.

This attitude is a big reason why this shower of shit government keeps getting away with destroying this country for the many while they have their noses in the trough and endless cash for their backers and mates.

@ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

I'm a carer working full time but no-one gave me an extra £20 a week.

So am I, but the point is we should have done..and being bitter to those that git help is the wrong way to look at it imo. UC and other benefits are pitifully low, they should be increasing NOT decreasing. I am glad that people are now realising many people do work on UC. There I a real culture of the undeserving poor. Personally the money used to spaff up the wall on cronies PPE contracts etc would be better used on saving £20. It is so short sighted...the long term cost of poverty will cost this country much more.

@Clocktopus

I need more information on how the better decisions described should be achieved.

By not having 4 or 5 kids.

What should they do about pre-existing children? Shove them back up their mother's vag or send them for slaughter? And how much should the children be punished for their parents decisions?

By spending their money more wisely (no fags or junk food)

How should we monitor what they're spending their money on? And should this monitoring be extended to the entire population? Who should be responsible for deciding who is allowed to buy which products? How should people who break these rules be punished?

By getting a job

As stated uptrend, there are more unemployed people than there are vacancies? What should we do with the excess unemployed people? And how will people be matched to suitable vacancies?

Don't forget that having more than 2 children, will now disadvantage you completely as you get no money for them. I would have thought someone who worked for the DWP would be aware of this.

Did you vote Conservative in the last election? Knowing that it was a party led by a man who has only ever known immense privilege, is a proven liar, and doesn’t give a fuck about most of his own children?

I didn't vote Conservative. The whole "I'm your mate, Bozza! I'm definitely someone you could have a pint with down the pub! Look at me with my fucked up private life and my messy hair, aren't I a loveable wee scamp!" is/was sickening. Boris Johnson wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire and he'd then find a way to charge you for the heat you generated.

@Blossomtoes

Who do you suggest people vote for?

There are plenty of alternatives - for which more people voted than the current government.

Seriously there are no alternatives!

Whatever happens at the next election there is going to be chaos.

Mostly because what we actually need is a root an branch change to taxation, benefits etc. And that has to start with Sun readers, unfortunately as we need to have a majority of the population agreement that a decent level of financial support for those who are unwaged is essential.

THEN we need the top end of the financial scale to agree that they can take a profits hit and pay their staff a proper wage, one that doesn't require UC to exist - remembering the reasons Gordon Brown introduced working tax credits for in the first place.

AND we also need the agreement of Everyman/woman that they will work if they can, even if only a few hours per week. That every individual will make work decisions based on the long term reality of aiming to be self supporting.

AND if an individual cannot we go back to point one, we, the nation, will offer adequate support for anyone who cannot be self sustaining.

Such benefits cannot include monies Sky, large mobile phone contracts, holidays, gym memberships etc.

Things like the lottery and LA money will support local initiatives more, anyone on UC will be supported, may be able to access holidays, leisure etc through them, based on consistent engagement, real need, the offer being made.

That last isn't pie in the sky, I have worked and volunteered in a loose cooperative of community charities doing just that. I've been there for 20+ years, the charities for more than 30, one for 125 years!!!

If I were in charge for a decade ro so that's what I would work towards. Sadly, we have politicians, mainly careerists, in charge. No party is fit for purpose if a fit for purpose society if what you want!

Obviusly that isn't the whole idea, but it is the bare bones of what is needed, rather than the step by step process of how to get there. Don't slam me for being unrealistic, I am aware of the very real issues!

It's always depressing reading these threads.

I work with people who have this benefit. Just to make the point:

• they don't waste it on flat screen tvs, fags, booze or drugs
• they aren't on UC because they have made bad decisions
• they aren't on UC because they're workshy bastards
• they aren't using the uplift on luxuries
• yes it was a temporary uplift, but the original amount wasn't enough
• since then food prices, fuel and other costs have shot up
• most of these people work or are disabled and can't work.
• the people that work will be worse hit by the NI raise also announced this week

- taking it away isn't going to drive more people into the employment market, because they are already working.

Taking it away is going to push more people into poverty. It is going to take food away from children. It is a completely immoral decision. So much so that even Tory MPs are protesting.

@Clocktopus

The majority of UC claimants, from my experience, need to make better decisions

In my experience of working in benefits and credits from both the DWP side and the HMRC side is that most people are doing the best they can with what's available to them.

The claimants making out and out bad decisions tend to be those living chaotic lives where bad decisions are as much as symptom of that as they are a cause.

Too bloody right!

That's the Sun reader attitude I posted about. Most of our client group live such chaotic lives. Yes, some play the system, know how to squeeze the last penny out of it. But you REALLY wouldn't want to live in their shoes.

Even the ones that 'screw the system' the most have issues I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Where are the jobs going to come from?

I’m a bit worried about it.
I’m a single mum to a 1 year old with no reliable childcare (his dad turns up once a week and often cancels last minute or brings him back in the middle of the day because he “can’t deal”).

I try and stretch the money as much as I can, but bills keep going up.

It does bother me that some people just assume I must spend it all on drink and fags (I don’t drink or smoke) but to be honest those type of people tend to be those who are mysteriously unbothered by millionaires and billionaires dodging their taxes, so their opinion doesn’t mean much to me.

Being on benefits was the last thing I wanted, but my shithole ex convinced me to leave my job to be a full time mum before cheating on me. So. Y’know.

Perhaps they'll cope the same way as the mainly disabled people who are in receipt of the legacy benefits. They weren't included for the extra £20. Nobody seems all that bothered about them.

It's actually pretty disgusting and hypocritical to see all the apparent concern for people struggling. It's sending out a message that disabled and other struggling legacy benefit recipients don't matter.

And the new NI increases hit people who work, and don't affect people who live off assets and the like ( ie rich people)

The tax on dividends has been increased, so some rich people will pay. I am extremely fortunate to have dividend income, and being retired do not pay NI. I am glad about the dividend tax increase as if those far less fortunate than me have to pay, I want to pay too.

I've been on Income Support in the past, and also advised for the CAB. I remember when finding a pound coin made a noticeable different to my week. Benefit levels are diabolical.

It’s not a cut it’s a return to the level prepandemic when lower income families were given extra to cover additional food and utilities costs during lockdowns etc

There's a court case coming up about the disability discrimination. I wish them all the luck in the world.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/legacy-benefit-claimants-miss-out-24850997.amp

[quote Tealightsandd]There's a court case coming up about the disability discrimination. I wish them all the luck in the world.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/legacy-benefit-claimants-miss-out-24850997.amp[/quote]
The thing with that is, the bottom bit, where it says people can always move over to UC.

The problem is, people are scared about the 5 week wait, yes you can get an advance, but then you are paying a stupid amount back a week.

@Tealightsandd

Perhaps they'll cope the same way as the mainly disabled people who are in receipt of the legacy benefits. They weren't included for the extra £20. Nobody seems all that bothered about them.

It's actually pretty disgusting and hypocritical to see all the apparent concern for people struggling. It's sending out a message that disabled and other struggling legacy benefit recipients don't matter.

Indeed im not disabled, but my child is and gets HRC and HRM, we still get tax credits, we did get the extra £500 one off payment but not the £20 weekly uplift

[quote Gimlisaxe]@CuriousaboutSamphire

Where are the jobs going to come from?[/quote]
Yeah! That's right, add a negative instantly.

Well we keep being told that the jobs previously taken by many EU citizens are there to be filled. From seasonal work to lorry driving, dray deliveries to care work (don't laugh, round here that's about 50% of the population). Nationally there are many jobs being advertised. Some hard work, others long hours, some just odd, out of the ordinary and many utterly ordinary ones. A quick scout of just our local facebook, rural area, low literacy levels, high unemployment, show 80+ jobs in wlaking distance of our small market town. Few seem to need experience, almost all include training and, according to our Job Finder (actual job, and he is excellent at it) all bar about 5 offer higher than NMW immediatley.

We can't be unique in that!

Locally we use the links between us to highlight the issues that block individuals getting a job, sometimes transport, sometimes fear, anxiety, lack of education, training. No matter what the block when a solution can be found so can a job.

But, stereotypically, there really are a small group of people who won't take a job because it 'isn't worth it'. They are the people who need most help. Usually their attitude is based in fear as much as any laziness. They don't have role models who go to work, 2 maybe 3 generations of unwaged make the regular routine of just getting up and going to work seem impossible.

Sorry, I could go on, this is something of a hobby horse. One that makes me regularly shout at our chocolate teapot MP!

@AngeloMysterioso

General question to whoever feels like answering…

Did you vote Conservative in the last election? Knowing that it was a party led by a man who has only ever known immense privilege, is a proven liar, and doesn’t give a fuck about most of his own children?

If so, then why does this turn of events surprise you? What made you think he’d suddenly start caring about the plight of poor people? He doesn’t care. He has never cared. People voted for his party anyway, and this is what happens.

Hell no. In answer to your question. I wouldn't vote for that Bastard if he were the last buffoon in town. In fact, especially if he weren't the last buffoon in town.

Single parent here. I receive UC as a top up from my wage so yes, it will affect us. We will have enough money for food but I work from home so between that and the children someone is almost always at home, so I'm concerned about heating costs as we go into winter. I'm aware that it was a "temporary uplift" now, but I only started claiming UC in January this year when I became single so was not aware of this before it was announced that it would be reduced again.

My ex pays maintenance but he doesn't earn a huge amount himself. I work, and have requested more hours which will help but my employer is in no way obligated to give me them. The waiting lists for wraparound care where I live is 2 years and childminders are similarly full which means there is a maximum to how many hours I can work. My mum helps me a bit though.

People think that those on UC get lots of other benefits like free school meals, council tax support etc but your income has to be very low to qualify, we don't (not complaining)

Oh, let's not forget, for the benefit bashers:

• I have 2 children, not 4 or 5
• I have a mortgage and a professional job
• I have 1 tv
• My car is a 10 year old Astra
• I don't have a gym membership. Like I'd have the time to go to a gym!!