Esther McVey Defends Universal Credit, Hell or High Water!
The Right Honourable Esther McVey: My door is always open.
Yesterday in the House of Commons Esther McVey was on rare form.
Bertie Wooster once recommended that when confronted with a misdeed the best response was stout denial.
Readers of Hansard and no doubt those who watch the BBC Parliamentary Channel can see her Ladyship following his sage advice.
Universal Credit. 17 October 2018. Volume 647
Labour’s Margaret Greenwood ‘umbly but impertinently began,
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That she will be graciously pleased to give directions that the following papers be laid before Parliament: any briefing papers or analysis provided to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since 8 January 2018 on the impact of the roll-out of universal credit on recipients’ and household income and on benefits debts.
Universal credit, the Government’s flagship social security programme, has been beset by flaws in its design and delivery. It is causing immense hardship for many people wherever it is rolled out. It is hard to believe now, but universal credit was designed to lift people out of poverty and smooth the transition into work to ensure that it always pays. The reality is that universal credit is a vehicle for cuts: cuts in support for families with a disabled child for whom the basic rate of support is half what it is in tax credits; cuts in support for disabled people in work, such as the disabled person who wrote to us saying that they are more than £300 a month worse off since switching from claiming working tax credits; and cuts in support for lone parents bringing up children who will get more than £20 a week less on average, with many losing far more.
..
Let me make some progress.
Overall, 3.2 million families with children could lose around £50 a week. People are worried, but there is no clarity from Government. The Prime Minister told this House that no one would be worse off, yet The Times reported that the Secretary of State told Cabinet colleagues that households could lose up to £200 a month. Being forced to manage on a low income that is then cut still further means tough choices for the families affected. The DWP’s own survey of claimants published in June showed that nearly half of new universal credit claimants are falling behind with bills. Even six months later, four in 10 are still struggling to cope financially.
And so it went. And went – it’s pretty long so I skip.
Her Royal Highness (for it was she, Esther) replied,
Members want to speak in this debate. I know too, Mr Speaker, that you are always anxious to hear Back Benchers speak, as am I, so I will keep my remarks as brief as possible.
I have been forthright with colleagues across the House—and in my speech at Reform earlier this year—about universal credit’s strong merits and the areas that we need to improve. In fact, in my Reform speech, I said that I would improve universal support, and I delivered on that this month. Since becoming Secretary of State, I have changed the system to provide extra support for those with severe disabilities, vulnerable young 18 to 21-year-olds and kinship carers. I am also working with colleagues to identify areas where we can make more improvements.
This is also long so I will just cite a few of her gracious words,
We have taken a mature approach to rolling out universal credit. We have said that we will test, learn, adapt and change as we go forward. That has resulted in a series of improvements, and I will read some of those out. We are providing extra universal support with Citizens Advice, an independent and trusted partner. We have brought in the landlord portal. We have brought in alternative payment arrangements, 100% advances and housing running costs. We have removed waiting days and are providing extra support for kinship carers and those receiving the severe disability premium.
My door is always open. We will make sure we get this benefit right, and Government Back Benchers, who have genuine concerns, want to get it right.
Here is a more readable report:
Tories block Labour bid to reveal government assessment of Universal Credit impact
Politics Home.
After a heated four-hour debate, they voted by 299 to 279 against the release of the documents, which Labour hoped would reveal the detrimental effect of the welfare shake-up which rolls six existing benefits into a single payment.
Labour used an arcane parliamentary procedure known as a humble address – previously used to force the release of the Government’s Brexit impact assessment – to try to compel the publication of analysis of the shake-up on people’s incomes.
Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey last week admitted that some people “could be worse off” under the reform, despite Theresa May’s claim that would not be the case.
Ms McVey’s opposite number, Margaret Greenwood, today called for the Government to publish all reports and analysis it has carried out into the effects of Universal Credit since Ms McVey took office in January.
“The social security system should be there for any of us should we need it, yet the Government’s flagship programme has brought real hardship,” she said.
“How did it come to this in the fifth largest economy in the world that we have people facing hunger and destitution?
“It cannot be right, the Government must wake up, it must open its eyes to what’s happening and that is why we are calling on the Government to stop the roll-out of Universal Credit.”
Ms McVey yesterday confirmed that the “migration” of existing welfare claimants to Universal Credit would be delayed until later in 2019.
Meanwhile the BBC reported that the deadline for full implementation could be pushed back by another nine months to December 2023.
Ms McVey today prompted angry shouts from Labour MPs when she opened her comments by saying: “It’s good to be here again for my department to update the House on Universal Credit for the third time this week.”
She later added: “We will continue with Universal Credit. We will continue to roll it out. We will engage with colleagues across the House… my door is always open, but we will make sure we get this benefit right. You know why? Because of the genuine concerns of the people on our backbenches who want to get it right.”
Then there is this:
Ipswich Unemployed Action. 
UC a saving of £12 billion – The real cost is £120 billion. UC bankrupts the UK for the next 40 years.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 11:38 am
Gov Guidance
Universal Credit: in-work progression randomised control trial
Updated 16 October 2018
1. About the Universal Credit in-work progression randomised control trial
Universal Credit (UC) supports people in work to earn more. To help build the design of UC, DWP is developing an evidence base to help understand how to support people to reach their potential, progress, and be more productive.
We are currently at the stage of testing a range of approaches to provide evidence for future learning, recently through the delivery of a large-scale Randomised Control Trial (RCT).
The RCT was launched as a proof of concept in April 2015 in 10 jobcentres. It was rolled out to all Jobcentre Plus offices in December 2015. The RCT was delivered by all Jobcentre Plus offices.
Recruitment into the trial completed in March 2017. The RCT tested the effect on earnings of an active labour market regime for claimants who were in low-paid work or low-income households and:
•embedded the expectation that claimants took reasonable steps to increase their earnings in return for the support offered
•gave a clear understanding of what was required from claimants, regular engagement with a work coach and delivery of agreed actions in an individually tailored Claimant Commitment
•coached claimants to have conversations with their employer, where possible, about opportunities for more, or better paid, work and where appropriate, look at wider opportunities for earnings progression
•identified barriers to progression, such as confidence and motivation, skills, or childcare, and directed them to support available
•provided supportive but challenging conversations to help guide, steer and motivate claimants to realise their potential and free themselves from benefit dependency
1.1 RCT groups
The RCT randomly assigned eligible claimants into 1 of 3 groups, providing different degrees of in-work support and conditionality.
The groups were as follows:
•Group 1 – claimants met with their work coach every 8 weeks to get support and review mandatory actions agreed in their claimant commitment. These claimants had access to a flexible time bank of work coach support.
•Group 2 – claimants had the same set of requirements as Group 1 and access to work coach support, but with a fortnightly review, rather than 8 weekly.
•Group 3 – this group got the DWP business as usual UC service for people in work. This was an initial telephone appointment to establish voluntary actions, and follow up telephone appointment 8 weeks later to consider progress.
Evidence from the 3 groups will help to determine inform the future development work to determine what support may be offered to in-work claimants.
Read More: –
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/developing-in-work-support-for-people-claiming-universal-credit/universal-credit-in-work-progression-randomised-control-trial
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 8:29 pm
I bet the government won’t publish a report about the success/failure of this trial.
Jeepster
October 20, 2018 at 7:02 am
UC will change its rules once a week, like they have been doing for years.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 20, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Andrew Coates
October 18, 2018 at 11:38 am
ca not yet gagged then
whoknew
October 18, 2018 at 12:18 pm
uc – get it right.
it should have been right from the start,
fair
whoknew
October 18, 2018 at 12:31 pm
Esther is lying again. For example she say that since 2010 over one million people have moved into work and that universal credit is working, as if universal credit is responsible, at least in part, for the fall in unemployment. Trouble is the live service for universal credit only started up in 2013 and in February 2016, nearly 3 years later, a total of 364,000 claims for universal credit had been made. In other words from 2010 to 2016 only 364,000 people had experienced universal credit as claimants blowing McVey’s claim that UC was responsible for getting huge numbers of people into work sky-high out of the water.
McVey has the mentality of a psychopath, i.e., no conscience, empathy, compassion or capacity for remorse. This is a woman who thinks that the rape clause in universal credit, forcing women to prove that they have given birth to a child of rape before they can gets benefits in respect to that child, is good because it allows the woman to have a chat to a DWP representative about her rape, whether she want to or not, as if it was therapy.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/17/esther-mcvey-empathy-rape-victims-tax-credits
And recently that universal credit was good because work coaches might be able to prevent, even rescue, women on universal credit who had resorted to prostitution to make ends meet, because UC payments were too low, by getting poverty stricken hookers into some kind of work as if this is always possible seemingly not realising that by saying so she admitted, implicitly, that universal credit entitlements were so actually low that some female claimants were being compelled into hooking in order to feed themselves and their children.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7498601/universal-credit-women-prostitution-mps/
Read the following and tell me that Esther McVey does not have a psychopathic personality.
https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Psychopath
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 12:34 pm
@ Kooky – There is no such thing as a ‘rape clause’. There are exceptions to the TWO CHILD TAX CREDIT limit. What are you proposing? Child Tax Credits for UNLIMITED children? What are YOU proposing Kooky? What is YOUR solution, Kooky? Go on, Kooky!
Keeky
October 18, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Is that you, Esther?
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 3:45 pm
Esther how many times have you been sacked as a failed MP!!! Oh dear its resigned again.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:47 pm
Miss Moneypenny.
ken
October 20, 2018 at 3:19 am
And if you are of the opinion that Child Tax Credits should be paid for UNLIMITED children, just say so. No need to bang on about a so-called ‘rape clause’.
Keeky
October 18, 2018 at 3:12 pm
That is you isn’t it, Esther? Only a childless post-menopausal arid loveless tw@t could post something advocating child poverty if you’re female… kind of… my bet is that it’s you Ms McVey. Female psychopaths are pretty rare than goodness.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 3:48 pm
Instead of virtue -signalling, Kooky, which is like soooo yesterday why don’t you say what you propose? Would your proposal be to scrap the two child tax credit limit. If that is the case, why don’t you just some out and say it? I am all ears, Kooky and would welcome to hear what you propose. The Government has struck what it believes to be the best balance in difficult and challenging circumstances but if you have a far better alternative I would really love to hear. And I promise you that I will give it my best consideration.
In any case, there is nobody arguing for a ‘rape clause’; what they are arguing for a two child tax credit limit (which is in force anyway). You can’t just argue against something especially using emotive language without offering an alternative. I would love to hear what your proposal is, Kooky? Do you want me to scrap the two child tax credit limit? Just say it, Kooky, “Esther, I would like you to scrap the two child tax credit limit.” It is really that simple.
Best Wishes
Esther
Esther
October 18, 2018 at 4:07 pm
There should never have been any limit on child credits, or the comparable element subsumed into universal credit. I would have imagined that would be self-evident to any person living in the fifth richest economy in the world with a conscience, humanity, decency and a compassionate heart.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 4:22 pm
The UK is slipping down on the richest country list and you wonder why? If you want to destroy something – a system of social security – you cripple it. Like a Denial of Service Attack. You bombard the welfare state with requests, demands for largesse. Until it can’t cope and goes under. Nobody asked to be born, and if they can’t support themselves it a reasonable exception for them to have the State support them, at least in a modern civilised society But why encourage people to have kids they can’t support which in turn places a needless burden on social security? Why? Why should it be a ‘right’ to have an excessively large family at your neighbours expense? The State will support two children through tax credits. How is that unreasonable? The UK is not sub-Saharan Africa. It all has to balance out somewhere; either the tax take has to increase or other areas of the social security budget have to be cut.
Toto
October 18, 2018 at 4:37 pm
When I give to charity to help children in the third world I don’t ask if their mother is a single parent, married or unmarried, has given birth to a child of rape, is a criminal, or a drug addict, or how her children came into the world. I donate money to help and protect innocent children who had not asked to be born or done and harm to anyone intentional or otherwise. My donations are not contingent on the conduct or moral standards of the parents of innocent children suffering extreme hardship and poverty. Help extended to children in need should not be meted out based on the conduct, lifestyle or situation of their parents. All children should be protected and supported, properly nourished, housed and looked after, most certainly in a first world country like the United Kingdom.
To try to reduce government spending or cut taxes to gain political capital by forcing children into poverty in 21st century Britain is not just dubious and unworthy but as cowardly and evil as any other kind of child abuse. The British government is guilty of systemic and deliberate child abuse over a period of years having dropped hundreds of thousands of helpless innocent children into difficulty, taking money away from the young to curry favour with older people for purely political reason.
Much of this is due to decisions made by George Osborne, a man who came so shiveringly close to true evil as to make no difference. We may never know how many people, now dead, would still be alive if this wretched individual had never been Chancellor. Here is a man who took money away from needy children to reduce the top rate of tax to benefit mostly the richest 1% of UK citizens.
As far as Africa is concerned the reason people there have large numbers of children is because there is little or no social security to support them in old age, most people earning low or no wages, and therefore they rely on small contributions and help made by numerous children in order to live if/when they survive beyond their natural working age. If Africans had a fully functioning social security system they wouldn’t need to have such large families.
Why are so many right-wingers so mule-headedly thick, stupid and dumb?
Nemesis
October 19, 2018 at 6:44 am
Who is going to support the kids when they are older? You are going to need larger and larger families. There was a documentary on about workers in India mills recently. The parents had them for the sole reason that they expected them to send money back home – except none of them did! The ungrateful swine! The parents that is. Giving birth to kids that will have no chance in life. Just so that you can get a few quid in their old age. This system still operates in the UK, especially in Chinese communities, they call it ‘taxing’ their kids. That’s why they have large families. More ‘tax’. It is not like everyone has children for purely altruistic reasons.
Wing Chun
October 19, 2018 at 7:52 am
Left-wing and right-wing are a false paradigm. The far-left and the far-right intersect; they are indistinguishable.
Bolshevik
October 19, 2018 at 7:56 am
You could argue that the so-called ‘rape clause’ acts as a DETERRENT to men who use women as SEX SLAVES. Look at all these young women you see with over ten kids. These women are trapped in circumstances they do no have the means to escape from. These women suffer forced sex constantly, They get pregnant over and over again. Ever time they have yet another child more money rolls in from the Government for the abusive man. And it is all done with the blessing of a ‘higher authority’ Time for a reality check before you have a go at McVey.
Social Worker
October 18, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Don’t you mean Esther “Porn Star” McVey !!!!
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 3:38 pm
McVey doesn’t have any kids!
Razor Step
October 18, 2018 at 3:44 pm
That has to be you, McVey. Only somebody with an entirely turned around twisted mentality could consider impoverishing the children of abused women a deterrent against sexual bondage. That’s the complete opposite of what should be done which is: Support abused women to leave and escape permanently from abusive partners by funding them to secure suitable accommodation and afford them an adequate income via benefits for as long as necessary until they have rebuilt their lives. All children are innocent and should never be made to suffer for whatever their parents have done or had done to them. What kind of society ignores the plight and welfare of its young? Only one sick and rotten to its core, led by people sick and rotten to their cores I reckon.
Esther. Please do not resign in protest over the prime minister’s Brexit plans in order to try to bring her down. Not because I like or agree with Theresa May but because I desperately want you to stay in post and be made to answer for the list of absolutely atrocious things you have done as secretary of state for work and pensions. You must stay long enough to be called out and made to face the music. Please do not resign.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 3:58 pm
“This article was amended on 17 April 2018 to make clear that no woman would be asked to discuss her experience with a DWP employee directly”. Typical of the Guardian. Trying to make out that women would have to discuss their alleged experience with Coachy. That rag’s credibility is shot to pieces.
Mags
October 18, 2018 at 3:42 pm
Here’s McVey defending the rape clause as and “opportunity” for rape victims:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-43784071
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5622061/Minister-Esther-McVey-heckled-defends-rape-clause.html
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2018/04/no-esther-mcvey-benefits-rape-clause-not-extra-help-women
I have never witnessed such poisonous toxicity dropping from the lips of any female politician prior to McVey.
Women are normally automatically sympathetic to other women, particularly mothers struggling to bring up young and dependent children. Esther McVey is a peculiar outrider. She is like a female of another species. A thing not human masquerading as human, devoid of all the emotion and qualities that represent the best in the human.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 4:11 pm
On the contrary, one considers Esther to be a fine politician – resolute, determined and jolly good fun to be with. Hear, hear to Esther!
Jacob Rees-Mogg
October 18, 2018 at 4:14 pm
For somebody apparently so asexual, Jacob, I am amazed that you yourself fathered no less than six children. Or did you. I understand that your friend Boris Johnson has been a frequent visitor to your home usually in your absence. Have any of your children got mops of unruly blonde hair and smirking baggy-eyed expressions?
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 4:25 pm
Seems like the Tories are asking to Pimp My Esther McVey. Now they are looking for a pimp. Tories get a better class of chat bot.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:43 pm
When Jacob Rees-Mogg visited a food bank he said it was “quite uplifting” and blamed Labour for the increase in food bank usage because Jobcentres didn’t refer those suffering food poverty to such charitable endeavours. He saw nothing wrong with the failure of the social security resulting from cuts, caps, freezes, caps and the roll out of universal credit saying, “… the state can’t do everything…”, and recognised no connection between exponential growth in food bank usage and the cuts, caps, freezes, caps and the roll out of universal credit his government had introduced.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41264965
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2017/09/14/just-when-you-thought-jacob-rees-mogg-couldnt-get-any-more-vile-he-claims-food-banks-are-rather-uplifting/
What a tw@t. Especially as he seems now to think that there are poblems with universal credit and that the money earmarked for the Brexit transition extension could be better spent improving it.
https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit-news-latest-jacob-rees-mogg-universal-credit-sky-news/
What a complete and utter tw@t, phoney and fuc*ing idiot.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 5:01 pm
Esther McVey’s advice to women hit by universal credit – to take up prostitution – is disgusting!
Comply or Die
October 18, 2018 at 2:12 pm
That isn’t what she said. What Esther actually said/implied is that it was ok for universal credit to reduce women to such poverty that they might resort to whoring themselves to have enough money to live and that the best way out of prostitution for women on universal credit out of prostitution was for work coaches to get them into work. Basically she was saying that women on universal credit who go on the game to survive deserved what they got because they could be in paid work if they wanted and that the misery and danger they suffered was self-inflicted.
It’s the kind of excuse rapists sometimes try to use.
“She was wearing a short skirt and low cut blouse, your honour. Basically she was asking for it.”
Sorry, Esther. Benefits ought to be high enough so that those on them can support themselves adequately without selling their bodies on the street. If that is happening you are to blame for not protecting them properly and driving them into destitution in the first place.
One day there will be a reckoning, McVey, in this life or the next.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 4:19 pm
“She was wearing a short skirt and low cut blouse, your honour. Basically she was asking for it.” It is laughable to suggest that a defendant would ever offer that as a defence to a rape charge in a court of law.
It is the stuff of comic books.
Judge Dredd
October 18, 2018 at 4:42 pm
It was an exaggerated example how villains often blame their victims for crimes they commit.
This coupled with a diet of lies is Esther McVey’s modus operandi.
The media has turned on her now and is outing her left, right and centre. No wonder she tries to place gagging clauses on people she works with and avoids answering unscripted questions fielded at her when outside of the house of commons.
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 5:06 pm
Men in Scotland are now at risk of being branded ‘rapist’ for political and ideological reasons.
What we are now witnessing is the Scottish justice system, the state and the government all pushing to convict men of rape.
What we are witnessing is the destruction of justice.
Legal Eagle
October 19, 2018 at 7:33 am
Scotland are in the process of ditching universal credit and creating their own social security system.
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 2:36 pm
In England and Wales the ‘administrative penalty’ for ‘making a mistake’ on a DWP form is £50. North of the border for the same ‘offence’ it is FIVE YEARS in a Scotch dungeon!
Dungeons & Dragons
October 19, 2018 at 8:05 pm
superted
October 20, 2018 at 8:29 pm
It appears that not every agrees with you, Kinky 😉
https://www.scottishlegal.com/article/solicitor-questions-recent-fury-over-so-called-rape-clause-in-reformed-child-tax-credit-legislation
https://www.scottishlegal.com/article/opinion-victims-and-justice
Legal Eagle
October 19, 2018 at 7:22 am
It seems you have been soaking in feminist propaganda, Kinky 😉
Some further reading/study:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16982743.stuart-waiton-scots-men-are-at-risk-of-being-branded-rapist-for-political-reasons
Legal Eagle
October 19, 2018 at 7:25 am
In a nutshell:
Men in Scotland are now at risk of being branded ‘rapist’ for political and ideological reasons.
What we are now witnessing is the Scottish justice system, the state and the government all pushing to convict men of rape.
What we are witnessing is the destruction of justice.
Legal Eagle
October 19, 2018 at 7:35 am
universal credit is being pushed through for political and ideolgical reasons too like innit? nuffink to do with helping the poor like innit? everyfink being pushed is political and ideological like innit?
Toxx
October 19, 2018 at 7:41 am
Similar situation over here in Canada. Also in Canada cases where the prosecution has decided not to proceed cases are passed to a ‘specialist team’ (coven of witches) at Rape Crisis in order to find if the complainant can recall any further detail i.e. embellish the statement which is quite common in ALL criminal proceedings: “You remember…. ”
Mark Zinck
Sexual Assault Lawsuits
It is possible for victims of sexual assault to sue their assailants civilly for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages (pain and suffering + income loss). Unlike a car accident claim, where you are indemnified by your insurer, you are left to pay these tremendous judgments on your own.
With a criminal conviction, a victim can easily move forward with a sexual assault lawsuit against you where the burden of proof upon her is even less. In fact, even if you are acquitted in criminal court or never charged you can still be sued in this manner. Being convicted in criminal court, however, would make it extremely difficult to fight a sexual assault civil lawsuit because a court has already ruled it to be beyond a reasonable doubt that you did it (which is even more certainty than is needed in civil court).
Further, the bankruptcy act deems sexual assault judgments as non-dischargeable debt. This means you won’t be able to get rid of a $250,000 judgment against you (which is not uncommon) by simply going bankrupt. You are stuck with it until you pay it off. Many offenders are forced to sell assets (such as their home) in order to pay off sexual assault judgments.
It is almost inconceivable how easily a single sexual assault accusation against you can destroy your life and future.
https://www.accused.ca/sexualassault.htm
Mark Zinck Law Offices – Call for a FREE consultation: 647-228-5969
Mark Zinck Law
October 19, 2018 at 8:42 pm
Why is no-one raising similar actions against the DWP for the abuse, sanctions, workfare… they have suffered at the hands of these bastards??
Sami
October 19, 2018 at 8:51 pm
The DWP has been hauled into court over UC repeatedly, sometimes winning but often losing.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwps-disability-benefits-delays-ruled-unlawful-and-unacceptable-by-high-court-10299012.html
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-facing-court-over-claimants-universal-credit-fit-for-work-injustice/
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-agrees-to-pay-thousands-to-disabled-duo-in-universal-credit-court-case/
http://www.boycottworkfare.org/dwp-in-court-challenged-to-reveal-list-it-fears-could-make-workfare-collapse/
Similar examples are too numerous to list but you can google/bing to find shitloads more if you care to.
Jeepster
October 20, 2018 at 7:09 am
Interestingly, the DWP ‘decision maker’ also works on the ‘balance of probabilities’ 😉
NOT Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
October 20, 2018 at 7:47 pm
superted
October 20, 2018 at 8:30 pm
Like everything else in life It all boils down to money. The lawyers coining it in. The ‘charities’ lining their pockets. The ‘victims’ making a quick buck. Easy money!
Follow the Money
October 21, 2018 at 10:51 am
What the Tories are doing killing off disabled people is a Disability Hate Crime by the Tories on the disabled. That is not only a criminal offence but also a Human Rights Breech. I want the DWP to charge me with fraud of disabled benefits of £800,000 that I have ripped off the Governments for the past 30 years in Disabled Benefits, since I am not disabled & have been cured in 1979. So Tories who are the criminals. Stop hiding away Tories do you want me to defraud the whole DWP into crime to show up what it is really doing form political gain. The Tories are using Disability Hate Crime for political; gain by abusing & serving out Disability Hate Crim.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Killing Disabled people is Tory policy with the help of the Disability Hate Crime Law. DWP Suicide.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 3:20 pm
Razor, you should be grateful that you live in a country that has supported you for thirty years. And here you are, despite your protestations about how hard done by you are, still here alive and kicking and posting bilge on the internet. How do you think you would have fared in Hitler’s Germany. Do you think Adolf would have supported you for thirty years? Do you think many other countries would have supported you for so long? Even first world countries such as the USA. You should thank your lucky stars that you live in the UK.
McVey is no Hitler!
Razor Step
October 18, 2018 at 3:49 pm
Hitting a raw nerve with the Tories. Stop talking Tory Chat Bot Crap.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:41 pm
Tories should be grateful that State Sponsors Murders run the Tory Policy of Rule.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:45 pm
You really should listen to yourself, Stepping. You keep ranting on about how McVey, the Tories are routinely murdering the disabled. And in the next breath you state that you have been allowed to claim £800,000 from public funds over the space of thirty years.
Razor Step
October 18, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Get off your arse & sort out my Disability Benefit Fraud.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:40 pm
The Tory Denial Factory in full swing.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 4:49 pm
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” – Abraham Lincoln
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 5:07 pm
I work in a school and UC is only just being rolled out in our area…however just this week 3 of our children’s families have been referred to the foodbank. It’s heart breaking
katrehman
October 18, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Heartbreaking and something not seen to this degree before the Conservatives came to office.
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 6:51 am
The Tories can not sort out Child Poverty so the Tories have now got a consultancy firm in to sort it out call Rocket Science which have paid Google to be 1st result of the search above Wiki & Nasa Rocket science labs.
We have developed expertise and understanding of the dynamics of poverty in the UK.
When Rocket Science started it was a truism that ‘the best way out of poverty is employment’ – but today, many live in poverty despite working and earning.
Welfare reform has created a need to understand its impact and develop appropriate responses to help the most vulnerable.
We work extensively in our poorest communities, helping clients understand needs and potential responses. We help review and develop anti-poverty approaches.
Increasingly we are asked to explore the connections between work, poverty, housing, and health.
http://rocketsciencelab.co.uk/poverty-and-welfare/
The Government has someone over seeing it called Amber “Useless” Rudd.
Pay a consultancy firm £100 million to sort out child poverty.
Tories really have messed up their fraud.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Not only has the DWP & Welfare Reform been given to a consultancy firm but all Government Departments are now run by a consultancy firm.
Tories Disability Hate Crime gives the Tories power.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 5:22 pm
Understanding the impacts of Welfare Reform
Our work has required sensitive engagement and consultation to capture ‘lived experience’ to tell compelling stories that bring data and impact of policy to life.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 5:24 pm
Does the Work coach provide that information !!!
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 18, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Who can argue with this?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/18/the-guardian-view-on-welfare-shambles-ministers-must-be-accountable
Kinky
October 18, 2018 at 7:14 pm
We’re coming for you McVey.
Nemesis
October 18, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Hell or High Water!
Perhaps high and dry could be added too.
ken
October 18, 2018 at 8:05 pm
It’s all about the old brown n foldin’ me old chinas. Benefit claimants, Tories…. let’s make that human beings are ALL greedy, grasping money-grabbing fuckers from Hell! Let’s not kid ourselves me old Chinas. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
Lambeth
October 19, 2018 at 7:05 am
Everybody told the DWP what would happen if they pressed ahead with Universal Credit and nobody listened.
https://www.ft.com/content/e8eb1b42-c2e5-11e7-b30e-a7c1c7c13aab
,
Post-Brexit the Conservatives are going to end up in hot water over UC and, hopefully, boiled alive.
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 7:28 am
Universal Credit has been on the go since 2010. Why the sudden furore? There have been Facebook groups/forums galore for years detailing the everyday struggles on Universal Credit but no-one gave a shit… that is until now. Universal Credit has already brought down many people…. and nobody gave a shit. McVey has to stay firm and bring down the ‘we couldn’t give a shitters’ as well. We are ALL in this together. Go on, MvVey, hold a steady course and finish the job! And she will – come Hell or High Water.
Banana Fritter
October 19, 2018 at 8:22 am
universal credit brings to an end a lot of the easy money. like stand around in a supermarket for a couple of hours a week, claim you are working like and claim a shedload of tax credit. of course people are not going to be happy and are complaining but secretly they knew they were taking the piss all along and must have known it was going to end sometime like. like when labour brought in the check on the disability scammers.
Apple Pie
October 19, 2018 at 8:29 am
uc has summat called in work conditionality. it means u get hauled into the jobcentre if u earn less than minimum wage x 35 hours a week. johnny void was talking about this years ago – nobody listened – and how it was going to hit the fuckers hard. now the chickens are coming home to roost and they are all running about like headless chickens.
Chicken Run
October 19, 2018 at 9:10 am
The Void said that in-work conditionality would destroy part-time jobs because nobody would want to do them while still being policed by Jobcentres. He’s more than likely correct. And the idea that large numbers of the population can make up a 35+ hour week by juggling several part-time “mini” jobs is bollocks too. The cost to commute to a job is the same whether you do 1 hour or 8 hours. Having to do multiple commutes to several workplaces for dribbles of paid work, unless they are on your doorstep, considering that 63% of all earnings will be deducted from your benefits if you’re working under 35 hours a week won’t be financially feasible for many.
In-work conditionality won’t work well in practice much like the rest of universal credit really.
It’s heaping insult on injury.
Medici
October 19, 2018 at 9:54 am
The number on universal credit has been small until recently and mostly comprised of single people and couples without children. Only recently have families become involved. That’s why there hasn’t been much fuss. As the number of people on it grows and children are sucked into the mess there will be hell to pay. The media have scented blood in the water and will tear the government to pieces unless it mends its ways. Which it won’t. Esther McVey, if she stays in post long enough, will be dismembered and torn to shreds.
Medici
October 19, 2018 at 9:58 am
Many children have suffered because of the BENEFITS FREEZE? Why weren’t the media* up in arms over that? Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.
*With the notable exception of Polly Toynbee
Frozen
October 19, 2018 at 10:10 am
Brexit is drowning out everything else; post-Brexit when the population turns back towards domestic matters at home the sh1t will really hit the fan.
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Why is no-one raising similar actions against the DWP for the abuse, sanctions, workfare… they have suffered at the hands of these bastards?
Sami
October 19, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Universal credit has NOT been “going” since 2010. From May 2010 to 2013 it was in the planning and implementation stages for the so-called “live service” and the first claims for UC for single people only began in 2013. UC has only actually been going for five years with relatively simple claims involving single people or childless couples. Only recently have the numbers of people on UC been rising significantly to just over one million, including more complex and difficult claims and families with children which is when UC became a scandal with the public. The numbers of people suffering under UC reached a critical mass and the media sat up and took notice, turned against UC, and began to publicise how harmful the project actually is to the poor, helpless and most vulnerable who are the very people UC drives into debt, rent arrears and eviction by design.
As more and more people end up on UC the scandal will grow unless major changes are made.
(And could bring down the government.)
Jeepster
October 20, 2018 at 6:32 am
nobody listened.
No unemployed.The Tories are aloof defending the indefensible continue to let problems mount.What is the long term plan? theres no consultation on Brexit or the future with the public All we have is spending cuts people cut back the economy sufferers,town centres where the pidgeon population is the only sign of growth.Homeless people sitting outside McDonalds with cups and cardboard signs and a cloud of decline hanging over the area.
ken
October 19, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Universal credit has NOT been going since 2010; from May 2010 to 2013 it was in the planning and implementation stage for the so-called “live service”. The first claims for UC only began in 2013. UC has only actually been going for five years.
Jeepster
October 20, 2018 at 6:25 am
l
Freelancer
October 19, 2018 at 8:41 am
WHAT would you do if your boss told you you were no longer going to be paid in money? That instead, the experience and prestige of working for your company was payment enough?
This perhaps seems far-fetched, but the growing issue of being offered exposure, prestige or experience rather than cash is now affecting a huge proportion of the freelance and self-employed workforce across Scotland and the UK.
Currently over 38% of the population are freelance, but according to research collated by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) and the Freelancer Club, it’s estimated that more than half agree to do unpaid work and that freelancers and the self-employed lose an average of £5,384 a year in earnings because of this.
Most commonly, it is people working in the creative industries who are falling victim to this practice, but it is also affecting people across the entire working sector, from marketing professionals to journalists to travel guides.
https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/would-you-work-for-no-money-the-growing-problem-of-being-paid-in-exposure/
Freelancer
October 19, 2018 at 8:44 am
ESA refund: Am I owed thousands after DWP benefits blunder affects 180,000?
Who is affected?
The DWP has said it will be contacting those who are owed money and there is no need for claimants to contact the department themselves.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/esa-refund-am-i-owed-13434582
whoknew
October 19, 2018 at 11:45 am
Jobcentres drop ‘the Voice’-style interviews. French talent-show job interviews spark outcry
t seemed like a good idea at the time. In an attempt to shake up its interviews, several French job centres took inspiration from TV talent show The Voice.
Three recruitment officials would turn their back on a candidate beside a screen with the English slogan: “This is The Job”.
Out went the CVs, in came interviewers with hands on buzzers.
As criticism intensified, the job agency decided to drop the idea.
How did it work?
The interview technique, first exposed by French website StreetPress, involved a candidate standing in the centre of a room answering questions fired by three recruiters whose backs were turned.
Among the positions applied for were abattoir worker, builder, electrician and welder. The interviews took place at the government’s Pôle emploi job agency in northern towns such as Liévin and Chauny as well as six other offices, reports said.
Candidates and interviewers were separated by a table on which lay three buzzers. The idea was a clear imitation of prime-time talent show The Voice, with the aim being that the recruiters would act as a jury and hear only the candidate’s voice.
Any recruiter impressed by the candidate would press their buzzer and turn round to look at them.
While the idea was certainly unconventional, candidates had apparently been warned in advance and agreed to it.
Union official Jean-Manuel Gomes wondered if the next idea would be to copy Roman circuses and bring out lions, handing the job to the last candidate standing in the arena. “Is that the kind of society we want?” he told French TV.
The job agency admitted that “borrowing ideas from the world of entertainment is clumsy” but said the local recruitment drive had been well-intentioned.
It had been trying to develop the skills of jobseekers and come up with alternative approaches to CVs, tackling stereotypes that were “obstacles to hiring”.
An estimated three million people are out of work in France and unemployment in France is stubbornly high at 9.3%, above the European average. When President Emmanuel Macron came to power he promised radical reforms to reduce the rate to 7% by 2022.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45913491
BBC News
October 19, 2018 at 11:56 am
Psychopaths commonly exhibit the following personality traits: a complete lack of remorse, incapability of loving someone, delusions of grandeur, pathological dishonesty, irresponsibility, dissembling and lying, insincerity and are on the surface quite often personable persuasive and charming.
Sounds like a pretty good description of Esther McVey to me.
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 2:32 pm
And there’s more:
https://news.sky.com/story/universal-credit-brings-administrative-chaos-11529103
https://moneyweek.com/496831/scrapheap-beckons-for-universal-credit/
Could the Tories be more f*cked?
Kinky
October 19, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Andrew Coates
October 19, 2018 at 4:03 pm
Why are these fucking ‘providers’ still open for business?
In England & Wales you do not have to enter into third-party party contracts/data sharing waivers with ‘provider’ = ‘provider’ goes out of business.
In Scotchland Fair Start and any Scotch schemes are ‘voluntary’, just do not ‘agree’ to take part = ‘provider’ goes out of business.
These ‘providers’ should have shut up shop ages ago. Are claimants still signing up for this shit when they are under no compulsion do so?
Shut the 'providers' down
October 20, 2018 at 9:07 am
As soon as you ‘agree’ to Scotchland Fair Start or enter into a contract with the Health & Work Programme ‘provider’ you open yourself up to sanctions. Don’t come on here whining that a ‘provider’ stopped your money.
Lefara the Godess
October 20, 2018 at 11:32 am
In-work conditionality report:
Click to access summary-universal-credit-in-work-progression-randomised-controlled-trial.pdf
“Compared with the Minimal Support group, Moderate support group participants earned £4.43 more in
week 52, while Frequent Support group participants earned £5.25 more.”
So: The net effect of maximal in-work conditionality, fortnightly meetings with a work coach, ended up giving those experiencing it an average pay rise less than the value of one hour’s work on the minimum wage. All that stress and fuss at the Jobcentre and danger of sanctions to the claimant with hardly any significant progression in earnings. Basically all that universal credit crap about in-work conditionality forcing workers to strive to get “more hours, another job with more hours, or additional job(s)” to bump earnings up to an arbitrary 35 hours at the minimum wage and achieve “progression” for low-paid workers turns out to be fanciful nonsense without real substance – exactly the same as the rest of universal credit!
Jeepster
October 20, 2018 at 3:13 pm
they cant get ppl in to work with no jobs let alone ppl with jobs with threats of sanctions if they dont find more hrs or another job.
it will be a total cluster fook the jcp dont have the staff as it is let alone dump 3 million more ppl on to it.
superted
October 20, 2018 at 5:22 pm
In the report the most lenient category of in-work conditionality was called “light touch” involving a visit to the Jobecentre every eight weeks, so I would imaging this will by the kind of in-work conditionality that most people doing some work would be put on. As you point out the Jobcentres don’t have the staff to see all working-age UC claimants, working and non-working, fortnightly. The report talks about “help” given to claimants by work coaches to “progress” but all I’ve ever got when I’ve visited the Jobcentre was to have my work search record, which I keep in a hand-written form, examined looking for reasons to sanction me for not looking for a job hard enough. I’ve never received any useful help or advice for a work coach. As far as I can see “conditionality” is just a club to beat claimants over the head, to make them toe the line, and goes hand-in-hand with “sanctions” if anybody slips up and enable helpful work coaches to “raise a doubt” and strip them of their entitlements.
How could any of this crap ever have ended up the law of the land?
Jeepster
October 21, 2018 at 9:22 am
I was also touched by this absurd rule, for people in work.
What do they expect part-time employees to do, ask their boss everyday if they could kindly give them more hours?
Spend their free time doing “job search”.
The whole thing stinks.
Andrew Coates
October 21, 2018 at 10:27 am
Apparently part-time workers earning less than 35 hours on the minimum wage and receiving universal credit are supposed to badger their employer for more hours AND actively look for another job with more hours or additional part-time jobs to take their earnings up to or over 35 hours on the minimum wage just like unemployed people have to look for work, keeping a record of what they do and presenting it to work coaches for inspection on a regular basis set by the DWP. Even if you are happy in a part-time local job you are supposed to be willing to give up that job and do a longer commute to another job, which you might not like or find convenient, if it is better rewarded.
Part-time work won’t be any better than than no work; you will be treated the same at the Jobcentre. And the randomised trial carried out by the DWP shows that in-work conditionality does not lead to significant progression or financial gain that makes a difference to the people under the thumb of DWP work coaches.
The worst of all possible worlds.
Jeepster
October 21, 2018 at 1:20 pm
DWP faces nearly 60 disability discrimination tribunal cases in 20 months
DNS – 18th Oct 2018
The Employment Tribunal has dealt with almost 60 claims of disability discrimination taken against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by its own staff over a 20-month period, new research has shown.
A database on the Employment Tribunal website shows that, since it began publishing its findings in February 2017, it has dealt with 57 cases that include claims of disability discrimination by DWP across England, Scotland and Wales.
The website’s database appears to show that DWP (with an estimated 75,000 staff) has the worst record on disability discrimination of any large government department, with 20 cases against the Home Office (which has about 30,000 staff), 32 against the Ministry of Justice (about 70,000 staff) and 29 against HM Revenue and Customs (about 60,000 staff).
Read More:
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-faces-nearly-60-disability-discrimination-tribunal-cases-in-20-months/
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 20, 2018 at 6:05 pm
Not so Disability Confident now.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
October 20, 2018 at 6:06 pm
there confident alright in the fact they can sack them all and try and get away with it pmsl 😉
superted
October 20, 2018 at 6:55 pm
‘Universal Credit benefit mess forced my wife into prostitution’
Shocking story of how the controversial payments ruined one family’s lives – and left a man feeling suicidal
A Liverpool man said his wife was forced to take on sex work because of their issues with Universal Credit
A Liverpool man has told how problems with his Universal Credit benefit payments meant his wife turned to prostitution to support them.
The man – who has asked not to be named to protect his and his wife’s identity – said the gut-wrenching decision left him feeling suicidal, but blamed the delays of switching over to the controversial new benefit system for pushing his family to the brink.
The 31-year-old, who we will call James for the purpose of this report is originally from Wavertree, and was living in another part of Liverpool when he lost his job a year ago.
A site manager with more than 10 years’ experience, he was laid off when working in North Wales but said that after signing on to Universal Credit , he ended up going three months before getting the money he needed to survive.
He said: “I only got £167 on October 21 (after signing on in October) – because they said I had worked a week in October, so this money was deducted from my first payment.
“Between those three months I had to pay three months worth of rent at £675 a month, (and) council tax of £130 a month and that was before we could heat or feed ourselves.”
James said he and his wife ‘sold everything’ and took out Wonga loans in the months where they had money, before eventually they made the gut-wrenching decision that she would begin sex work to support them.
He added: “The second time that we needed to pay the rent was when she decided to take on sex work.
“It was a very hard decision – but we had absolutely nothing left to sell.
“We had sold everything, taken out Wonga loans – it is not something we wanted to happen, it felt like we were in Victorian Britain.”
He added: “She did it for a couple of months before I eventually got my payment, it left her very shaken.
“It was only because of that work my wife was doing that we could eat and pay the rent at that time.”
James said the entire situation left him considering taking his own life.
He said: “I was suicidal, the situation made me feel completely worthless.
He added: “I think the government needs to stop Universal Credit now – just one mistake and someone could lose their job and end up like I did – this broke me and my wife.”
The government is coming under increased pressure to pause or scrap Universal Credit altogether – with lots of evidence that problems and delays with the new system are forcing people into poverty.
Last week Birkenhead MP Frank Field said that women in his constituency had – like James’ wife – had been forced into sex work in a desperate attempt to support themselves while waiting for their benefit payments.
In response to this, Liverpool-born benefits chief Esther McVey told him that he could tell those women that ‘there are other jobs on offer.’
Despite the many reported problems, the Department of Work and Pensions insists that most Universal Credit claimants are ‘comfortable’ using the new system.
A spokesman said: “Universal Credit simplifies an out-of-date, complex system with evidence showing that under UC claimants are getting into work faster and staying in work longer.
“Our research shows that many people join Universal Credit with pre-existing arrears, but the proportion of people with arrears falls by a third after four months in UC.
“The majority of claimants are comfortable managing their money but we are increasing support to help people who need it to stay on top of their payments. Up to 100% benefit advances and direct rent payments to landlords can be provided.
“We also recently removed the 7-day waiting period from new claims and continue to pay people’s Housing Benefit for two weeks while they wait for their first full Universal Credit payment.”
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/universal-credit-benefit-mess-forced-15303104
Liverpool Echo
October 21, 2018 at 9:12 am
And more:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/20/40-mps-warn-theresa-may-must-fix-universal-credit-system-injection/
(The Telegraph, also know as the Torygraph, is a right of centre paper normally loyal and sympathetic to the Conservatives and all their works but not as far as UC is concerned.)
And more weird UC scandals about so-called UC “advisors” not paying their tax:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tories-shame-after-universal-credit-13449629
The newspapers left, right and centre, are tearing into UC – and that’s BEFORE the disastrous migration of millions of people on legacy benefits onto UC has even begun! The government was warned and warned and warned about the faults, flaws and dangers of UC but took no notice. Now they deserve everything that’s coming and then some.
Jeepster
October 21, 2018 at 9:13 am
FAO: Andrew Coates
Kaylee Morgan (Google Team) sent you a message:
10/20/2018
Your account was hacked.
More information
You are required to log-in within 24 hours, otherwise your account
will be deleted automatically.
Don’t want occasional updates about Gmail activity? Change what email Gmail Service sends you.
Kaylee Morgan (Google Team)
October 21, 2018 at 10:04 am
‘provider’
Etymology: DWP-speak, circa 2000
[noun] An evil entity that will throw a benefit claimant ‘under the proverbial bus’ given half a chance. A ‘providers’ object is to destroy a benefit claimant through the means of cutting off their financial support.
This is achieved through ‘sanctions’. The ‘end game’ for a ‘provider’ is to see their victim in a state of homelessness and hunger; a ‘provider’ wants their victim dead. Claimants are best advised to avoid ‘contact’ with ‘providers’ at all cost. ‘Providers’ cannot survive without claimants ‘voluntarily’ entering into contracts/’agreeing to take part in their schemes. If claimants exercise their right to shun ‘providers’ ‘providers’ will not receive any funding. Funding is the lifeblood of a ‘provider’ Without funding ‘providers’ will die.
'Providers' MUST DIE!!
October 21, 2018 at 11:10 am
Legacy JSA – A claimant could work up to 16 hours a week before having to sign off.
You kept the first £5 and it was £1 for £1 there after.
This mean to null in void JSA a claimant would have to earn £78.10 to null in void the JSA benefit which could be achieved in around 10 hrs work a week and thus leaving a profit of £46.18 on the remaining 6 hours and of course the benefit of earning your own unemployment fee rather than be given.
Under the taper system,
10 hrs = £23.77 JSA benefit received ontop of wage
12 hrs = £13.91 JSA benefit received ontop of wage
14 hrs = £04.04 JSA benefit received ontop of wage
15 hrs = – £00.89 JSA benefit received ontop of wage (zero in other words).
So unless you fall into a very select category who are allowed to earn an amount before taper effect begins,UC offers you absolutely nothing the old system didn’t besides the FACT DWP can now threaten to sanction a person as far as removing NI stamp coverage now, who may not need to work more than 10 hours a week to replace JSA assistance with if you dont worker longer/earn more, we will screw you over till you submit. Officially DWP under UC still mandate for the privilege of being able to be on UC and qualify for benefits, a fit person MUST accept a CC even if they only take JSA benefit and easily null in void the benefit they are eligible for.
This should tell you its all about using carrots in small areas and brutal FORCE and THREATS in the other to make REGARDLESS OF YOUR PERSONAL financial CIRCUMSTANCE, every human work to the amount of hours they demand period stroke period.
When you bare bone the ideology, the truth shall will out and that truth is the welfare reform act is a well designed net to catch everyone into the will of this government.
doug
October 21, 2018 at 12:02 pm
but if you are on jsa you can refuse to take a job less than 16hrs a week where as under uc they can force you to take any job and any amount of hrs if you are offers a job that is.
but what happens if no one will employ you and you have already applied for every job in the area that you can get to in 1hr 30mins.
to date i have applied for 8723 jobs and i have had not 1 interview and a 8 year gap on my cv and no check able references.
so all these ppl on is dla ect will be in the same boat and not have no chance of employment other than workfare.
and as that is not paid work employers dont even want to know as they see this as you had no choice or no benefits.
all i can see uc is for is mass sanctions for working ppl to stop what little they do get and nothing about finding more hrs or a better paid job.
but we did all know this 10 years ago pmsl.
superted
October 21, 2018 at 3:50 pm
4. Pressure to increase your hours of work:
When you are on Universal Credit, if your wages are less than the equivalent of 35 hours per week at the minimum wage (currently 35 x £7.20 = £252 per week), you will be expected to seek to increase your wages up to this level by applying for additional work and will have to sign a ‘Claimant Commitment’ to say that you will do so.
If you are the main carer for a child aged between 5 and 12, you are only expected to seek to work during school hours. If you are the main carer for child under 5, you are just expected to ‘prepare for work’, so you are ready to get a job as soon as your child goes to school.
If you cannot get enough extra hours at your existing workplace, you will be expected to apply for a second job or better-paid job at a distance of up to 90 minutes’ travel time away.
Sanctions: up to half of all working people on Universal Credit who are earning less than 35 hours a week at the minimum wage will be placed on a trial system to see which methods work best to ensure that claimants increase their hours of work and pay.
If you are part of the trial, you may be asked to attend additional interviews with your Work Coach, to apply for jobs on the Universal Jobsmatch website and to prove that you have spent the required number of hours per week looking for additional work. If you cannot prove that you have done what is asked of you, or you do not attend an interview without giving notice and a good reason, you may be subject to a sanction where your Universal Credit payments are reduced or stopped.
What can I do?
Challenge your Sanction: if you think you’ve been sanctioned unfairly, you can ask for the DWP to rethink their decision. This is called ‘mandatory reconsideration’ – the contact details will be on the letter sent to you about your sanction. You’ll need to tell them why you think the sanction was wrong. See the advice from Citizen’s Advice at:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/sanctions/if-youve-been-sanctioned/
You’ll get a letter telling you about your decision – it may be changed or you may get an explanation of why the sanction is upheld. The letter will tell you how you can appeal to a tribunal if you’re still unhappy with the decision.
Apply for a Hardship Payment: if you are having difficulty getting by while you are sanctioned, you can apply for a Hardship Payment. You will only be awarded a Hardship Payment if you cannot meet your immediate and most basic essential needs or those of a child you are responsible for, for example accommodation, heating and food and if you have made every effort to get alternative sources of support, for example from a charity.
Hardship Payments have to be paid back when your full level Universal Credit payments resume. See the advice from Turn2Us at: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Hardship-Payment/Hardship-Payments-of-Universal-Credit
Problems with Universal Credit for people in work
https://www.usdaw.org.uk/Help-Advice/Money-Benefits/Benefits-Tax-Credits/Universal-Credit-for-people-in-work/Help-and-Advice-with-Universal-Credit-for-people-i
Andrew Coates
October 22, 2018 at 11:26 am
Same here ted. I’ve applied for a shit load of jobs over the past several years. And what happens when you don’t get an interview? Coachy is shaking his/her head in disbelief, wondering out loud why you haven’t managed to get an interview despite all the jobs you have applied for.
jj joop
October 22, 2018 at 12:20 pm
The three hour travel to work distance must be a daily requirement surely, i.e., no matter how many jobs you have you surely can’t be expected to travel more than three hours a days commuting cumulatively. It would be crazy if you were expected to travel three hours to get to and come back from a 3.5 hours job and then have to do the same thing as per a second 3.5 hours job meaning you were travelling 6 hours a day in order to get 7 hours paid work on the minimum wage! Even universal credit can’t be that insane surely?
Jeepster
October 22, 2018 at 2:11 pm
If you are part of the trial, you may be asked to attend additional interviews with your Work Coach, to apply for jobs on the Universal Jobsmatch website and to prove that you have spent the required number of hours per week looking for additional work.
well there now stuffed on that one as ujm is no more because of the gdpr so roaches wont be able to load up jobs for you to apply for or check how long you used the site for pmsl.
and i have been dumped again to another coach as no one wants me on there case load im in and out faster than ever these days.
i think i must have hit a nerve 😉
superted
October 22, 2018 at 2:20 pm
As superted points out the 35 hour jobsearch requirement, or (35 – Hours Worked) requirement for those in part-time work, can’t be policed or enforced unless you are supervised physically. Incidentally when I took a part-time job while on universal credit I was told I could include my commute time to work and back as part of the 35 hour universal credit requirement, so although the job was only 3.5 hours the journey there and back took nearly two hours so I completes 3.5 + 2 = 5.5 hours of the 35 hour requirement meaning I only had to job seek for 1.5 hours per weekday to fulfil my CC. In practice I only had a quick 20 minutes look at the job boards every other day because that was all it took to see all the new postings.
Jeepster
October 22, 2018 at 2:47 pm
the 35hr a week job search is a expectation it is not law there own rules and regs say as long as you have taken all steps to apply for work the time taken does not matter.
the dwp has lost at upper tribunal over the 35hr job search so they can not enforce it as long as you are applying for work.
all it is is a pressure tactic and its nothing new as had it on my cc ten years ago.
google frank zola and read his foi requests you might get a shock 😉
superted
October 22, 2018 at 2:54 pm
“Bosses at Ipswich-based charity FIND (Families in Need) claimed the new benefit is “definitely having an effect” on the number of referrals, with the holiday season expected to be a “real struggle”.”
Andrew Coates
October 22, 2018 at 11:32 am