more welfare cuts what do people predict?

[mrshess]

In the news that there is to be an extra 4 billion cuts on top of the 11 billion cuts to be announced in Oct to target long term claimants. What do people think they are going to cut and how?

Air and water to anyone earning less than £50 grand a year in the private sector.

they will probably tell the poor to stop breathing

Care of the elderly, care for the vulnerable, while all the time protecting the interests of "their own"

i dont think they can cut back on the jobseekers/income support.....its a paltry sum to start.....but i DO think tax credits (both) will be cut alot

housing benefit....already said it will be capped

disability?? dont know enough about it

maybe countil tax....make people pay some of it.....rather than nil

Yes I wonder if they will cap council tax benefit at 90% rather than the 100% it is now.

If they do this I hope it kicks in immediately rather than being after a year of claiming like the housing benefit one. At least stagger the budgeting changes :(

It worries me sick about this long term claimants thing. It's not helping people back into work to cut their benefits - what if they have no choice but to be there? And if they keep cutting the benefits which overlap with low-paid work then how are people meant to get onto the job ladder in the first place?

My mum is already struggling because my sister recently turned 19 and is unemployed and not in education. They are both jobhunting now despite my mum already being self employed and suffering from ME, which seemed to have improved, but I worry that if/when she does start work it will go downhill again.

and privatising royal mail, said they wouldn't do that

how come they can just lie and get away with it?

because they can, because they are tories. The lib-dems are fucked now!

I think people suffering from illnesses which don't appear to be physical - ME, Depression etc - will be hit hard. As will community groups who help these people.

Perhaps they will cap the amount of time IS/JSA can be claimed to stop people being so choosy or choosing benefits as a choice not necessity.

They could look at not paying extra benefits to those that have children whilst already on benefits.

I can see tax credits being scrapped altogether.

i think there are already time limits on jsa/is to some degree

maternity grant i think will also go

they could stop the 25% single person discount on council tax, for people on high incomes- it seems a bit unfait that millionaires get this discount.

they might stop contribution-based benefits like cb-jsa, esa/ib and bereavement benefits.

contribution-based JSA can be (and is) paid to people with a high-earning partner.

they could also cut the savings/capital limit of means-tested benefits so people use up all or most of their savings before they are entitled to help

they could make dla (disability living allowance) means tested

All I can say is "Where are the jobs for those who will need them George"? Or did you forget that bit?

I don't think it will be tax credits as they come under a different budget from the one they're cutting from (although I suspect they'll be cut in the future).

Cutting IS/JSA would be very risky - sometimes people are "choosey" out of nessecity.

Do you know how many part time jobs there are (16-30 hours) on my local job centre website (I had a look after my work focussed interview where she told me there were lots......).

There are 14 in my town/area.

of those the majority are early morning/late evening/nights, plus registered nurses, HGV drivers and a minibus driver.

If you have to work around childcare (7-7pm - to be generous ) they can be no "choice" about taking them if you see what I mean?

If they cut tax credits I will go under - pure and simple. I will certainly be earning so little that I will become eligible for housing benefit which I don't claim at the moment as with tax credits I earn enough to manage rent and council tax.

Still as long as George and pals are getting richer that's okay eh?

I am interested to see

What they are going to do

When families are on the streets and people start to starve.

Will we see riots, I wonder.

we will see more crime that's for sure :(

I predict that the tories will get the society which they so desperately want:

Massively ghettoised and hugely unequal with Cameron and his pals at the top, never having to see an "oink".

They genuinely hate the poor. Seriously.

I predict all school developments will be shelved
VAT up to 22% by end of 2011
NHS ring fencing stolen and 13% cuts in their budgets.

You'll all be really freaked out by how accurate this is in 12 months.

ahh - but what cuts from the benefits budget whomoved??

Ah okay - £36K income will be the top limit for WTC.

CB will remain unchanged but rises will be less frequent and piddling.

Winter fuel allowance will increase because of the increased vat on fuel.

WTC doesn't come under the DWP budget either

no vat on fuel - go and look at your bill for gas and electric

i think people might only get benefits for a set number of children (if they have 2 kids when they sign on they only get benefits for 2 kids even if they have more)

possibly stricter about attending interviews/benefits being cut off if you don't take a job

winter fuel allowance will go

much harder to qualify for incapacity benefits

ivy i thought vat on fuel was 5%?

There is VAT on my oil - I'm pretty sure anyway.

actually it's reduced VAT on fuel.........currently 5% - but likely to increase the reduced rate I reckon.......