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A million WORKING adults face benefits cuts next year.

165 replies

Darkesteyeswithflecksofgold · 05/10/2012 01:53

If they cant find additional hours or higher wages they will have to do direct mandatory activity.

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/oct/04/million-working-adults-benefits-cuts?CMP=twt_fd

OP posts:
JugglingWithPossibilities · 08/10/2012 16:53

Also re. criticising those who work P/T many who work P/T hours are mothers with children and other responsibilities to consider - it seems very un-family and un-woman friendly to be assuming everyone should work F/T - and basing figures on a F/T wage. Many of us have a lot to offer to society through our work (I work with young children in a pre-school for example) but don't necessarily fit in with the standard F/T model (I'm also fortunate to work term-time hours as well - which works well for our family) Give us all some credit, Osborne !
Speaking of which we get some child tax credit ATM - will we have to apply for Universal Credit ? I guess so, but it's still all very un-clear to me Confused

Opentooffers · 08/10/2012 18:44

A couple of years years ago I got working tax credits for childcare and the basic amount. Last year just the basic amount, this year nothing. I work full-time as single mum, getting harder to have a life and make ends meet.
Good to know that George Osbourne would not consider a 'mansion tax' as it is unpopular with cons MP's (wonder why!) and "once tax inspectors let in the door, most country homes will have a mansion tax" - even better, more revenue for the public purse then instead of clobbering benefits.
It's a joke the idea that their aim is to protect the poor.

alemci · 08/10/2012 21:41

trouble is, the mansion tax would start at a certain price, then not raised in line with house price rises which would inflate and then the people who had bog ordinary houses would get clobbered as per usual.

aufaniae · 09/10/2012 09:13

I'm fed up with hearing about Tory plans to punish the poor.

Why is it all about cutting welfare? Where are their ideas to do with the economy?

We desperately need to start recovering from the recession, and they're pushing us further into a decline.

Where are their ideas creating new jobs? Supporting a recovery? Supporting our industries (And I don't mean by getting workers to sign away their rights).

Creating jobs would cut welfare in a way which benefitted the whole country. Unlike pushing people into poverty and homelessness.

Borrowing is going up not down. They're dragging us all down Sad

pumpkinsweetie · 09/10/2012 12:28

Exactly what are they doing to boost the economy?
Once their ridiculous plans are put into action, what do they expect the poor to do with next to no money........
Sleep on the streets, beg, steal-i cannot see this ending well...

Jellykat · 09/10/2012 18:25

Ah yes precisely, and if Arsebourne eliminates 1000s of Self employed small businesses from next year with his ridiculous UC, that will only damage the economy further!

morethanpotatoprints · 09/10/2012 21:06

I hate to be so gloomy but the poor will be in workhouses soon. I can see it coming.

ivykaty44 · 09/10/2012 21:11

I'm fed up with hearing about Tory plans to punish the poor.

But the poor need punishing - for being poor after all it is their own fault they are poor - they are lazy and stupid and this is why they are poor - the Tory party have always known this since 1850 hey have stood firm with this belief

morethanpotatoprints · 09/10/2012 21:29

Ivykaty.

I think the article you read was ill informed as I have read several that say the new uc is to be trialed in North West in April 2013. The areas as I remember are Tameside, Wigan, Warrington etc.
Then rolled out to the rest as you stated October 2013. I also have a friend whose working on the new system as we are one of the first towns to receive it.

Viviennemary · 09/10/2012 22:14

What's wrong with a mansion tax? It couldn't possibly be because it would affect a lot of MP's on both sides.

Leithlurker · 09/10/2012 22:15

johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/george-osbornes-benefit-bullshitting-hides-his-true-agenda/

The lie that people are better off on benefits than in work exposed.

ivykaty44 · 11/10/2012 13:53

don't MP's have two mansions - so they would get hit twice for this tax - or would they be able to claim it back?

gaully · 12/10/2012 16:52

Not everybody is going to be made to work full-time under the Universal Credit conditionality - despite what most people are saying here!! The conditions are based on income (rather than hours worked as used currently for Tax Credits). They are expressed as a number of hours at the minimum wage. So, for example, if your partner earns more than double the minimum wage for 35 hours a week then you will not be subject to conditionality. People with caring responsibilities will also have reduced conditionality.

A single parent will have no obligation to work while they have a child under 5 or are caring for someone with disabilities. With a primary age child they will be expected to look for work compatible with school hours (note, "look for" not necessarily find - if you can't get the work you will still get UC as long as you can prove you are looking - just like JSA now). Parents of secondary school age children will be expected to look for work paying 35 hours at min. wage.

In a couple, one will be considered to have caring responsibilities and will have the same conditionality as a single parent. The other is expected to earn 35 hours at min. wage.

I can understand the thinking behind this regime. Currently I know people who work 16/24 hours a week to maximise benefits and "it's not worth the bother of working more" - this will be an even bigger problem under UC. Looks like a nightmare to administrate though, particularly for the self-employed. What about someone working 32 hours x min. wage receiving training - would they be made to swap to a dead-end job with no prospects? And who exactly is going to check this conditionality - the job centre is busy enough with the unemployed without millions more joining in?

JugglingWithPossibilities · 12/10/2012 17:34

Thanks for explaining things gaully - that's made it much clearer for me. Actually the first proper explanation relevant to my circumstances that I've come across. This is one reason we need Mumsnet Smile

ivykaty44 · 12/10/2012 21:50

gaully - so what will happen to a single parent of a secondary school age dc who works part time 20 hours per week - but the shifts vary over the week, and the pay is one or two pounds over the minumum wage? As that doesn't equate to 35 hours at minum wage but it is work.

Will they have to get a second job? or will they have to leave the job they are in and get another? Or will they stop getting UC as they don't earn enough money?

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