Universal Credit, Not Fit For Purpose, New UNITE Community Report.
New Report Slams Universal Credit.
Here
‘Bombshell’ report lays bare the misery of Universal Credit chaos
UNITE the Union.
A ‘bombshell’ report and survey of nearly 1,200 Universal Credit claimants by the community section of the UK and Ireland’s largest union, Unite, lays bare the misery of the scheme’s failed introduction with evidence of people becoming suicidal, going without food, being forced into debt and unable to pay bills.
The survey of 1,173 Universal Credit claimants published today (Monday 23 September) found that 70 per cent had skipped meals and 42 per cent had been forced to use a food bank as result of claiming Universal Credit.
Just under two-thirds (65 per cent) of respondents said they could not afford bills such as heating, electricity, and water, while over three-quarters (78 per cent) said they relied on friends and family to make ends meet. 48 per cent said they had been pushed into debt because of Universal Credit, with nearly a fifth (19 per cent) saying they had been forced to turn to payday loan companies and 8 per cent to loan sharks, to make ends meet.
The survey also points to kids losing out at school because of Universal Credit, with 27 per cent of respondents saying they had been unable to buy school uniforms or school equipment for their children, while just over a quarter (26 per cent) said they could not afford school trips.
Elsewhere, the report and survey called Universal Credit: Not fit for Purpose, powerfully captures the catastrophic toll of Universal Credit on people’s lives and families with respondents’ comments, including:
“Since we were forced onto Universal Credit I’ve tried to commit suicide three times, me and my eight year old have had to spend a month living off crackers and tins or frozen veg in bowl.” Claimant one
“I can’t afford a new uniform for my youngest daughter. My middle daughter has had to skip meals at college and is behind on her A-levels because I can’t afford the textbooks she needs for her courses.” Claimant two
“The five weeks wait left me in rent arrears and my landlord served me with an eviction notice because of this.” Claimant three
Unite is calling for the government to stop and scrap Universal Credit. The report and survey, Universal Credit: Not Fit for Purpose is being launched at a fringe meeting at Labour party conference in Brighton today at 12:30 in The Grand Hotel. It can be downloaded here.
Universal Credit Not Fit For Purpose has these Key findings.
• The experience of Universal Credit claimants is overwhelmingly bad, and many claimants believe they are not getting the money they are entitled to.
• Sanctions in particular are cruel and unfair and make the impact of Universal Credit worse.
• Universal Credit is causing food poverty and driving the use of food banks. In some cases it has forced claimants into prostitution and illegal activity such as theft in order to survive.
• Universal Credit is pushing claimants into debt, including into the arms of pay day loan companies and loan sharks.
• Universal Credit is having a detrimental impact on claimants’ mental health which is increasing the risk of suicide.
• The application process is unfair, complicated and difficult to access. It is also rigid and unresponsive, for example most respondents would prefer to be paid fortnightly.
• Universal Credit is causing serious problems with housing, including rent arrears and homelessness.
• Universal credit is discriminatory, disproportionately impacting on disabled people, carers and parents.
• Parents struggle to pay for school trips, school uniforms and feeding their kids, particularly during school holidays, birthdays and Christmas.
• Families and friends having to fill the State’s role in providing a social safety net.
• Legacy benefit claimants overwhelmingly fear being moved onto Universal Credit.
• Universal Credit is an industrial issue that impacts on working people. It is particularly unfair to part-time, low-paid, zero hours and agency workers as well as the self-employed.
The Press Statement continues.
Commenting Unite assistant general secretary with responsibility for Unite Community, Steve Turner said: “Universal Credit is causing untold misery and heartache for people across the country. Its failed introduction is leading to people becoming suicidal and going without food, or being forced into debt and unable to pay the bills.
“Universal Credit is not just an issue that affects people out of work. At the beginning of the year over 530,000 employed people were receiving Universal Credit in a ‘corporate welfare’ cash grab to top up poverty wages.
“The government needs to immediately scrap the five-week wait for Universal Credit which is pushing people into debt and benefit sanctions that are plunging people into the depths of despair.
“Ultimately, this cruel and flawed system which penalises families who are trying to make ends meet and keep a roof above their head must be scrapped and replaced with a humane system based on social solidarity and support that treats people with dignity.”
Meanwhile out Boss Tweets:
Ipswich Unemployed Action. 
“Parents struggle to pay for… school uniforms” As if the grotesque sight of foodbanks wasn’t enough, now we have uniform banks. How many more ‘banks’ are going to spring up?
Doris from Derby
September 25, 2019 at 11:26 am
With the Supreme Court Ruling that the Tories lost, now means the excuse it is a political matter does not work because it is now a criminal matter. Universal Credit is not a political matter or policy it is a criminal matter & policy. That makes the whole DWP a criminal matter for Crimes Against Humanity. The Tory Departments are criminals using politics as a scapegoat for 180,000 DWP State Sponsored Murders. The Tory Suicide Policy is criminal & not political. Every Government Department is at risk under the Supreme Court Ruling. Universal Credit Sanctions are illegal & not political just like the whole of the Welfare Reform Tory Sinking Flagship called Universal Credit. Work Roaches are working illegally. Any thing to do with Universal Credit is illegal & not political. Since Serco & ATOS & Maximus & Concentrix have all been charged with illegal business mal-practice throughout the world – The Subcontractors can always blame game the Tories. What a lot of criminals. Health Care Professionals working for the DWP are criminals. Lets see the Tory Suicide Policy in action & now the DWP send the Police Force round for Tory Suicides. Oh dear suicide is now not a political matter but a suicide criminals matter with the DWP are guilty of.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 25, 2019 at 11:42 am
Is this the end for The Fat Controller ?
Legally Blond
September 25, 2019 at 12:49 pm
”Johnson, take 100 lines. ‘I must not prorogue parliament’. And then report in your sports kit for a cross-country run. A very poor show Johnson, you have not only let yourself down, but also all the boys here. That’s all, you may go…” ”And Johnson, if I find out that you have paid one of the juniors to write these lines for you, I am going to be very angry indeed. Understood ?”
Headmaster
September 25, 2019 at 1:18 pm
@Legally blond , The Fat Controller. Brilliant !
Sam
September 26, 2019 at 11:53 am
Cummings and goings.
ken
September 27, 2019 at 10:54 pm
This is good news. Universal Credit has always been a cruel system designed for just one purpose – to get people off benefits one way or another. It’s just such a pity it has taken so many years for the unions to do something about it. And so much unnecessary suffering for claimants.
Jeff Smith
September 25, 2019 at 12:55 pm
The misery and suffering caused to tens of thousands of Universal Credit applicants and recipients is a price well worth paying if it gets 2% to 7% more of the unemployed, sick, older and disabled claimants into some kind of full-time/part-time work than was the case under Jobseeker’s Allowance. This is undeniable.
Therese Coffee (Decaffeinated)
September 25, 2019 at 1:40 pm
And of course the younger and more attractive amongst these people can always secure work as a member of the oldest profession. This will also give the Catholics amongst them something to spill to the priest while in the confessional being shriven of their sins which I, as a fully paid up member of the Roman Church, can only behold and applaud. Win-win I believe they call it and it’s gratifying to see young entrepreneurs like this forging bright futures for themselves on the streets and in the alleys of our towns and great cities as they did copiously during the nineteenth century. An expression of Victorian values indeed. Let the good times roll!
Therese Coffee (Decaffeinated)
September 25, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Thomas Cook staff face claiming Universal Credit and the number of job losses’ online look to be growing.Universal Credit doesn’t address the barriers’ faced by those already on Jobseekers Allowance.The only difference is the 16 hour rule but if someone is already struggling this isn’t going to have a great impact on job prospects’.
Some of whats been advertised is asking do you live in the postcode area.
ken
September 25, 2019 at 5:03 pm
Labour still have no fixed policy about abolishing Universal Credit, or scrapping sanctions.
They are still staying neutral.
Disgusted Labour
September 25, 2019 at 2:39 pm
Andrew Coates
September 25, 2019 at 4:41 pm
Boris Johnson is going to jail, that means all of Boris Johnson’s fellow MP’s that support him are also going to jail. Since it’s all about Boris Johnson with his coke ranting in Parliament the bully in him really comes out in such a rage. He still gets confused in putting his left shoe of his left foot, that said he puts his right shoe on his left foot. Even Boris Johnson’s advisers are confused. The Monopoly at Eton also has a go to jail game. Boris Johnson is going to save the planet with paper straws up his nose. Perhaps it is called Cartel Parliament with intimidation, bullies & general bullshit on your shoe pulling funny faces. It is very busy with Bojo The Clown running a circus with preforming MP’s with the seal of approval. Perhaps The Queen should issue Boris Johnson with a Cease & Desist letter !!!!!! Otherwise Boris Johnson will kill the queen with phone calls every 30 minutes wanting some rubber stamp & how Boris wants the Queen to speak. The Boris Queens Speech or it the Queens death that delays Brexit. Nice one Boris, nice one son, let’s have another murder one at the DWP. Has democracy been vetted !!!! So why are people vetted to go to food banks !!!! Boris Johnson don’t not realise that Zero Hour Contracts are now illegal !!!!! That also means Universal Credit illegal put that with your criminal sanctions. Crimes Against Humanity is the Tories foundation & The British Empires shame of slavery & Thalidomide,
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 25, 2019 at 11:55 pm
Police now investigating a Hate Crime. 14,000,000 Disabled People Killed by DWP. When are the Police going to Investigate Hate Crimes Against the Disabled? DWP Genocide of the Disabled.
Stepping Spinning Razor Plates
September 26, 2019 at 8:43 am
Don’t forget Boris Johnson killed the “Queen.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 26, 2019 at 11:10 am
Oh no the political Tory Chat Bots have let loose from Tory HQ. It’s windy today. Mal-function I can’t compute reality.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 26, 2019 at 11:09 am
DIVIDE AND RULE…………………..THE TORY STRATEGY TO STAY IN POWER.
WHEN A PEOPLE ARE ACTING AS A UNITED FRONT THEY REPRESENT A FORMIDABLE FORCE THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO OVERTURN POWER.
THE STRATEGY OF DIVIDE AND RULE IS TO PIT PEOPLE. FACTIONS, COLOURS OR RELIGION AGAINST EACH OTHER TILL THE UNITY IS BROKEN.
HENCE THE TORY GOVERNMENT HAVE TURNED THE YOUNG AGAINST THE PENSIONERS, THE ABLE BODIED AGAINST THE DISABLED, MAN AGAINST WOMAN, BLACK AGAINST WHITE, DOG AGAINST CAT, THE HOSPITALS AGAINST THE DOCTORS, THE RICH AGAINST THE POOR, THE HOMELESS AGAINST THE HOME OWNERS, THE EDUCATED AGAINST THE UNEDUCATED, ETC, ETC.
BY CREATING SO MUCH CONFLICT AMONG THE PEOPLE IT MOVES THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION FROM THEMSELVES.
BREXIT IS NO EXCEPTION AS LAST NIGHTS DEBACLE IN PARLIAMENT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO STOKE A HATRED BETWEEN THE REMAINERS AND LEAVERS.
THE MEDIA ARE THE CATALYST FOR THE DIVISION OF SOCIETY.
FAKE NEWS IS USED TO STOKE TENSIONS AND THE BBC AND SKY ARE DRIVEN BY AN ISRAELI PROPAGANDA MACHINE THAT HAS SET CHESS PIECES WITHIN THE WESTMINSTER BUBBLE.
THE EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (EHRC) PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE AND IT’S OWN CHESS PIECES ARE PAID TO LOOK ELSEWHERE AS TENSIONS MOUNT.
THE VERY FABRIC OF SOCIETY IS BEING TORN APART BY THE MERCHANTS OF GREED WITHIN THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE PEOPLE MERELY PAWNS IN THE NEW HUNGER GAMES…
PREPARE FOR AN EARLY GRAVE
Sarah7
September 26, 2019 at 11:16 am
@ Sarah 7 : That’s what I call fed-up !
Alan Turvey
September 26, 2019 at 11:55 am
Why is this post in ALL CAPS?
Rafiqah
September 26, 2019 at 12:13 pm
I can’t believe Johnson is considering another prorogue of parliament ? Surely if it was illegal the first time, he can’t just do it again ?
Alan Turner
September 26, 2019 at 11:58 am
Some people shouldn’t be allowed to vote!
D Abbott
September 26, 2019 at 12:00 pm
So basically the voters choice is between a Bully, a Greybeard and a Woman ?
Tom
September 26, 2019 at 12:00 pm
@Tom: Yes. It’s either Flashman, Gandalf or Wonderwoman.
Jack H.
September 26, 2019 at 12:43 pm
”One is not prepared to receive Mr.Johnson again Villiers, if he has come asking for another prorogue. Simply inform him that one is not at home.”
Her Majesty
September 26, 2019 at 12:02 pm
Labour need to be a lot more specific about exactly what they are going to do about Universal Credit.
Are they going to abolish it completely, or just make a few small changes to it ?
What about the brutal UC sanction system, will this be totally changed ?
And the Work Capability Assessment test, what will Labour do to change this ?
Not vague statements about ending poverty and promoting fairness. But clear, straight forward policies.
Former Labour Voter
September 26, 2019 at 12:40 pm
I agree, and I bet most people who know anything about it, above all those affected directly, could come out with a lot more precise ideas.
Just off the top of my head I’d tackle the absurd Council Tax benefit system, now ‘localised’, highly unequal, expensive to run, and unjust.
Andrew Coates
September 26, 2019 at 4:49 pm
That’s true. People receiving the same benefits get charged wildly different amounts of Council Tax, which cannot possibly be fair. Councils should never have been allowed to demand any kind of local taxation, levied by local authorities, which have to be paid from benefits never designed to meet such expenses – not only that but frozen for over three years while Council Tax has risen for most people year after year.
Tim
September 27, 2019 at 11:10 am
JSA (or UC equivalent) is a joke. And freezing it for 4 years was taking the piss. The unemployed should be receiving the same rate as Pension Credit.
Jaswinder
September 27, 2019 at 11:25 am
When you think of it, all the MPs could dye their hair in parliamentary colours. It would be better for TV, like billiards.
So the Tories all with blue hair. Labour with red hair. The Liberals with yellow hair. The Greens with green hair. etc.
Andy
September 26, 2019 at 12:49 pm
And Black Rod , what about him ?
Dave G.
September 27, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Universal Credit Journal
Dear Frank Zola,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 19 July. You asked:
Please provide precise details of the legislation and regulations and sections thereof that
explicitly state and mention the Universal Credit Journal and that state use of the Journal by a
claimant is an entitlement condition of Universal Credit enshrined in legislation and regulation.
DWP Response:
I confirm that we do not hold the recorded information to respond to your request.
However, to be helpful and to provide context in this situation the following information has
been provided outside of our requirements under the FOI Act.
DWP has been clear that there is no specific information or legal requirements that compels all
Universal Credit claimants, in every case, to use the journal. However some claimants can
have a requirement set, to provide information and evidence as part of their work-related
requirement for claiming Universal Credit. This requirement can be set by a Work coach under
Section 23 of the Welfare Reforms Act 2012, Chapter 2 but it does not compel this evidence to
be supplied in a particular way, only that it must be supplied if and when requested
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/universal_credit_journal_2#comment-89396
superted
September 26, 2019 at 3:54 pm
WCA illegal, WCA a Crime Against Humanity. WCA is not political but a shady business deal with Tory subcontractors. The responsibility lies/untruth with the Tories. Scrapping Legal Aid is now illegal as it was as the first Tory Policy in 2010 when the Tories get in with the help of Cleggy. The Tories suicide policy is coming back to haunt them. Tory Crimes Against Humanity of its own people Tory Policy.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 26, 2019 at 6:13 pm
The UK Bill Of Rights will not save the Tories from going to prison. Where is the Tories Human Rights !!!
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
September 26, 2019 at 6:14 pm
This has appeared locally.
Group “signing-on sessions” leave Jobseekers feeling abandoned
Claimants of Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) are being abandoned in Jobcentres throughout the UK as staff are too busy dealing with Universal Credit claimants. It has come out that JSA claimants are being asked to sign-on in groups of 9-15 as work coaches are too busy with Universal Credit claims. This has left those on JSA with no support in trying to find work
https://universalcreditsuffer.com/2018/10/01/group-signing-on-sessions-leave-jobseekers-feeling-abandoned/
ken
September 26, 2019 at 7:59 pm
i was abandoned 20 years ago pmsl 😉 and if they want to go with group signing ill do it buy post as it is now a complete waste of time going to the jcp they wont even dare try to sanction me anymore or send me to any providers so no fun at all 😉
the only communication i get is, any change in circumstances, no
sign name on paper, get new appointment and go.
superted
September 26, 2019 at 9:39 pm
@Superted – I am disappointed in you Superted, I thought you had reached an understanding with Amber that you were going to make a real effort to get a job ?
Therese C.
September 27, 2019 at 12:47 pm
if no one will employ you what are you supposed to do there are no jobs left to apply for that i have not applied for already.
it is now a waste of time even bothering to apply for anything in the first place.
superted
September 27, 2019 at 6:08 pm
This is just another level of psychological pressure directed at claimants. It’s less private, so more embarrassing for the claimants. The DWP is trying to frustrate people off JSA and onto Universal Credit.
But with the horror stories coming out about Universal Credit, they are going to have their work cut out.
Jeff Smith
September 27, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Job search: Firms should ditch ‘unethical’ bias-causing CVs
Isam Moghal and Mohamad Saleh are concerned employers may be biased against them because of their names
Companies should ditch “completely unethical” CVs to protect candidates from prejudice, says a careers advice organisation.
Denise Currell, HR head at Careers Wales, said businesses should instead adopt so-called “blind applications”.
These do not reveal potentially bias-causing data.
Traditional CVs could do this by including name and address, which can give away ethnicity or financial situation.
It is about 15 years since Careers Wales started using blind application forms itself – and Ms Currell said she had not expected to be talking about bias in recruitment in 2019.
It comes as a community group in Butetown, Cardiff, warned too many young people from ethnic minority communities struggle to find work with big companies in the capital.
Ali Abdi, of Cardiff Citizens, said residents were not getting a “proper response” when applying for jobs despite being qualified.
Mr Abdi said: “They hope by encouraging businesses to take on name-blind and address-blind applications they would have a lot more faith in recruitment practices, rather than thinking actually it’s their name or the community they’re from that is causing them to be discriminated against. ”
Jobseekers at a Butetown drop-in felt recruiters knowing their names held them back.
Elhadi Seklani, 17, had applied for more than 100 roles without success.
“A lot of people from my school who have English sounding names have part-time jobs, but only a few I know that don’t have British names have part-time jobs,” he said.
Despite being confident in his CV he had been “getting rejected a lot”.
“I’ve started to think it could be to do with my name,” he said.
Despite being born in Wales, Elhadi felt recruiters prejudged his ability to speak English.
This year research at Nuffield College’s Centre for Social Investigation suggested British ethnic minority citizens send an average 60% more applications to get a positive response compared to white applicants.
Recently university graduates Isam Moghal and Mohamad Saleh both live in Butetown.
“I think our name does play a part, Isam and Mohamad aren’t exactly the most English of names and people do see that,” said business graduate Isam.
“It’s been tough since I graduated. I’m trying to look for simple jobs to get experience, but even simple jobs like some in retail or support work for basic pay, have been hard.
“I’ve gone to career services and they’ve told me my CV was fine but after a few applications I’ve become quite disheartened.”
Mohamad had started to get anxious about his appearance if he did get an interview.
“I’ve had family members telling me maybe it’s your beard – maybe try shaving off your beard that might help,” he said.
“But I don’t want to shave my beard just to get a job. I don’t want to change myself just for a job.”
Chisomo Phiri, from the All Wales BAME Engagement Programme, believed she too had fallen victim to recruitment bias, before finding her current job though university contacts.
“I just wasn’t hearing anything back,” she said.
The only reason she could think of was her name.
“I think if you’re from an ethnic minority background and you seek out employment then you already feel like you’re in second place,” she said.
Legal and General employs about 1,800 people in Cardiff. Not being as representative of the community as it would like meant “something is not working somewhere.”
The firm’s Odessa Barthorpe said by working with groups like Cardiff Citizens it hoped it could improve recruitment methods to attract black and ethnic minority applicants.
Ms Barthorpe said: “We have a responsibility, along with all the other companies in Cardiff, to make sure we are doing the things that we need to do to have a level playing field for everybody.”
Ms Currell urged businesses to adopt blind application because she said a degree of unconscious bias is often unavoidable for any recruiter.
“It’s completely unethical to allow those biases to spill into your recruitment practices, especially if you want to get the best candidate for the job,” she said.
“We all have unconscious bias – we can’t get away from that – so why not make it impossible to spill into your recruitment practices.
“There’s no cost to this. I would have thought businesses, by now, would have understood that they get benefits from having this diverse workforce – and from having the best candidate for the role.”
Job search: Firms should ditch ‘unethical’ bias-causing CVs
BBC
September 27, 2019 at 9:33 am
Maybe their CVs are rubbish. They should ask coachy to refer them to a ‘cv workshop’ 😉
Dariqaiaj
September 28, 2019 at 2:13 pm
What’s with all the American accents we keep hearing? The UK is being flooded with American tourists. Is it because the Great British Pound is worth so little and their dollars buy so much of it? Like we are a dirt-cheap destination for a holiday 😀
Jane
September 27, 2019 at 12:18 pm
£1GBP = Jackshit 😉
Currency Convertor
September 27, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Universal credit: Labour pledges to scrap welfare scheme
Mr Corbyn will make his announcement on Saturday at a rally in Chingford and Woodford Green – the Greater London parliamentary seat of Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, who originally implemented the universal credit scheme when he was work and pensions secretary.
The Labour leader is expected to criticise the welfare project for being “over-budget” and “inhumane”.
“Social security is supposed to give people dignity and respect, not punish and police them
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49855479
ken
September 27, 2019 at 10:52 pm
And replace it with what? And what does “suspending sanctions” mean or is that just BBC-speak, Labour also propose to abolish private schools, remove all immigrations controls, and shift the whole tax-burden onto the 1%. Are Labour going to place a ‘windfall tax’ on the 1% like they did with the bankers last time around? And what did they do with that? Gave it to the DWP ‘providers’ to pay for workfare schemes for the unemployed 😀
R Reeves
September 28, 2019 at 8:23 am
And why didn’t Labour say anything when the Universal Credit changes were going through the Commons? Why did they actively support IDS’s ‘welfare reforms’? Why did they collude with IDS to allow his ‘retrospective’ legislation which denied the unemployed recompense for being unfairly sanctioned for refusing workfare schemes. It is funny how Corbynokov speaks ups about the “horrors of universal credit” just as we are being flooded with election pamphlets and polling cards, funny that 😉
R Reeves
September 28, 2019 at 8:30 am
Labour always say they are going to abolish private schools 😀 Yawn! 😀 Yeah well, they need somewhere to send their kids:D Not like the local comp is going to do 😀 Anyway, it is all academic 😀 what Corbyn says. Momentum… er… Labour are going to get wiped out come a General Election.
Diane A
September 28, 2019 at 8:48 am