Ipswich Unemployed Action is Retiring.
Ipswich Unemployed Action has been made by its contributors – that is the people who post in the comments.
But, having retired, and having got Pension Credit, this Blog is in a different position to when it was created.
A reminder of the aims of IUA:
“This Blog is dedicated to fighting for the rights of the Unemployed. (updated August 2011)
- Raise our Benefits to a living level.
- We want the minimum wage for any ‘voluntary’ work they make us do.
- There should be an independent appeal and monitoring system – open to all – for anyone on the Work Programme,
- We want real training, not the sham courses we have now.
- No to Workfare.
- Above all we want to be treated as human beings – not things the DWP, Providers, and Government Ministers can claim rights over. We should have rights, and we want them now!
- We want real jobs, not endless ‘job-searching’.
- And now, we want the Work Programme closed down!“
That List alone indicates how things have changed…
As somebody now on Pension Credit, and no longer on Legacy Benefits or Universal Credit, the drive for producing posts has fallen to our commentators.
This Blog is willing to help anybody who wishes to set up a new Blog with around the same kind of aims, defending the unemployed.
But for now this Blog, Ipswich Unemployed Action, is retiring.
*****
Thanks to all our contributors.
The Commenting section is now closed.
Another site covering benefit issues:
Why is ‘Lord Fraud’ attacking the Benefit Cap that he helped impose?
Ipswich Unemployed Action. 
Aww it is a shame that this is over, but I guess all good things must come to an end. I will miss getting your IUA emails. Take care and goodluck!
Nathan
November 9, 2021 at 12:33 pm
Good luck Andy 🥰 enjoy your retirement.
Cloverleaf
November 9, 2021 at 12:55 pm
We still need sites like this to keep everyone informed and gain valuable information on how to deal with problems arising from benefit issues.
Although I’m due to reach pension age in just over three months time I won’t be happy until I see my first state pension amount in my bank account.
Hopefully you will keep this site up and running at least until the legacy benefit case has been decided.
Rob
November 9, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Thank you for all your activism Comrade Coates
Enjoy your Retirement!
Au revoir!
trev
November 9, 2021 at 2:06 pm
trev
November 9, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Goodbye and good luck in your retirement. A sad moment really as Ipswich Unemployed Action will be a hard act to follow.
Jeff Smith
November 9, 2021 at 2:20 pm
Give thanks for all your hard work over the years Andrew. Also give thanks to those in the comments.
Is the site staying on the internet or is it closing it down so it will not stay on the internet?
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
November 9, 2021 at 2:32 pm
A lot of the site has been backed up in catchment pages at Archive [dot] org
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
November 9, 2021 at 2:33 pm
URL into the Wayback Machine gets the back up results.
Stepping Razor Sound Plate System
November 9, 2021 at 2:34 pm
And so goodbye then to our favorite blog,
Ipswich Unemployed Action,
That fought the horrid Tories,
And gave us such satisfaction.
All through the years of hardship,
Workfare and unemployment,
You could always read Andrew’s posts,
And still get some enjoyment.
He never left a stone unturned,
Or to stand up for what was right,
Always defending the underdog,
And always in the fight.
So farewell to Andrew Coates,
As he lays aside his pen,
I wonder if we’ll ever see,
A blog like this again ?
Random Poet
November 9, 2021 at 3:01 pm
Stephen
November 9, 2021 at 3:37 pm
9 November 2021
PCS condemns job losses at Cosham Pensions centre
100 jobs are set to be lost at the vital service in Portsmouth after DWP confirmed the news to staff today.
Cosham was scheduled for closure on 1st April this year as part of a review.
However, following the breakout of the global Covid-19 pandemic, DWP was forced to recruit 13,500 extra work coaches along with many more thousands to answer phones and to help benefit claimants.
To push ahead with the closure of Cosham would be disgraceful and would represent a terrible loss to the local economy, both in terms of jobs and DWP’s ability to assist those needing pensions advice.
With DWP intending to open up 200 hundred new buildings across the country this decision to close a site in Portsmouth flies in the face of that approach.
PCS Industrial Officer Ian Bartholomew said: “These job losses are a devastating blow to our members and to the local economy.
“It makes no sense to throw 100 workers on the scrapheap when pensions processing needs more staff not less.
“Staff are extremely angry, and we will now mount a vigorous campaign to defend this crucial local service.
“We will be assessing all our options up to and including strike action.”
superted
November 9, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Thanks for all the good wishes, and the lines from our favourite poet.
The comments will be turned off in the next couple of days but the posts will, for the moment, stay there.
Andrew Coates
November 9, 2021 at 5:37 pm
All the best!
jj joop
November 9, 2021 at 7:24 pm
why dont you sell it and keep it going with AdSense revenue as never got why you never monetized the blog with add revenue.
im sure someone would take it off your hands for a fee as it gets the hits for it.
superted
November 9, 2021 at 8:03 pm
That’s a very Capitalist view Superted, profit from unemployed peoples’ misery at the hands of the DWP. That’s something the Tories would do!!
trev
November 9, 2021 at 8:30 pm
sites cost money to run simple as that let alone the time put in to make such sites nothing is for free.
superted
November 9, 2021 at 8:36 pm
Nothing is for free…
If you get Sanctioned or fall into arrears you’ll get a food parcel for free courtesy of whoever donated the food for free and made possible by those who work at the foodbank for free. Free meals are sometimes available at the Methodist Mission, the Seventh Day Adventist soup kitchen, the Sikh temple, the Hari Krishna temple, in many cities, amongst other places.
trev
November 9, 2021 at 9:49 pm
if ppl dont or cant afford to donate food anymore then it don’t matter how many ppl volunteer to hand out no food as wont be needed as wont be any foodbanks which is what they want.
inflation is out of control and when the interest rates rise most will be up shit creek with no paddle or pot to piss in or a window to throw it out off.
my last 4 quid of my jsa is spent on bus fair to the jcp even if i was offered a job i could not afford to pay to get there and back out of my jsa it is impossible even if they gave me a bus pass it only covers half the fair so still impossible at £4 per day in bus fair.
this blog will soon be gone but ill say this, it is only mandatory if you comply with it, you have a right to say NO!
superted
November 9, 2021 at 10:11 pm
I know what you mean, I see agency jobs that want you to start immediately, which is not possible if you’re waiting another week for your next JSA and wouldn’t even have the bus fare or anything for sandwiches, plus the wages are paid a week in hand. Wtf you going to live on for two weeks? A foodbank parcel might help but to be honest they only consist of the bare minimum.
trev
November 9, 2021 at 10:21 pm
@superted
There are plenty of free blog sites out there. I am currently looking at setting one up and they don’t have to be as detailed as this one.
jj joop
November 10, 2021 at 12:30 pm
What will you call it? JJ’s benefit blog, only kidding 😉.
Cloverleaf
November 10, 2021 at 2:27 pm
UC managed migration pilot
Owen Stevens 9 November 2021Unknown
Dear Department for Work and Pensions,
The UC managed migration pilot regulations allow the Secretary of State to transfer 10,000 people to UC as part of a pilot preceding managed migration nationwide.
As of June 2019 DWP planned to transfer between 100 and 2000 people to UC as part of the pilot: ‘The initial “Test the Concept” Phase will cover around 20-50 claimants, the pilot will then move on to the “Develop the Service” Phase. The current estimate is that around 100
claimants, will be moved in phases during the first months. Subject to successful progress
a “Learn How to Grow” Phase will be introduced from around January 2020 which will take
the pilot up to between 100 and 2000 claimants.’ http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPaper…
By 27/01/2020 the number of people on the pilot was 80, with around 13 having moved on to universal credit. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/20…
The pilot was ‘temporarily suspended’ at 30/03/2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On 08/11/2021 the Secretary of State said that she did not envisage a need for the pilot to be resumed. https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/20…
1. How many people were part of the pilot? How many of these people were single? How many had children?
2. how many people were notified that they were to be migrated to UC?
3. how many people who were notified subsequently claimed UC by their deadline for doing so (without extension)?
4. how many people who were notified subsequently claimed UC (within an extended deadline)?
5. how many people who were notified did not claim UC?
6. how many people who claimed UC received an award?
Yours faithfully,
Owen Stevens
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/uc_managed_migration_pilot#incoming-1911321
superted
November 9, 2021 at 8:47 pm
With a heavy heart the revelation marks the loss of a valued member of our society.
“It’s not what you are underneath. It’s what you do that defines you.”
Both myself and gaia who i called wish you all the best in your well earned rest.
Doug
November 10, 2021 at 9:18 am
Where will everyone go now?
Big bird
November 10, 2021 at 12:31 pm
There are plenty of free blog sites out there. I am currently looking at setting one up and they don’t have to be as detailed as this one.
jj joop
November 10, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Congrats re: Also being an OAP, Andrew, BUT: too many of your loyal readers aren’t. Yet…
Can we somehow keep this Blog alive?
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/4452-claimant-commitment-sanctions-reintroduced-for-new-style-esa-and-jsa
Stay aye elfy’n’safe, all…
Annie
November 10, 2021 at 1:11 pm
10 November 2021
Motion tabled supporting PCS calls for ‘in-housing’ services in DWP
MPs back PCS calls to bring key DWP functions back into the public sector
Members of the PCS parliamentary group have today (10) tabled an Early Day Motion supporting the union’s calls for key front line services, including telephony services linked to Universal Credit and PIP, to be brought back in-house.
Serco, one of the department’s main contractors for these services, has in recent months failed to deliver, instead relying on current DWP staff to assist in the delivery of phone line services due to increased demand. PCS has long argued that these vital roles should be provided by the public sector to ensure central accountability and the best service for claimants. With yet more contracts being given to private firms across the department in recent months, most notably the decision to outsource the delivery of the Restart Programme, PCS has increased our calls for an end to outsourcing within the department.
Chair of the PCS parliamentary group, Chris Stephens MP, raised this issues with the Minister at Monday’s session of DWP oral questions, asking:
“DWP staff report that Serco telephony services are causing excessive call times because the private sector staff are poorly trained. How much is this outsourcing obsession costing the taxpayer, and is it fair on claimants who face hours hanging on the phone only to receive often questionable advice?”
The Minister’s response was poor, indicating that contracts are reviewed regularly however he encouraged the Parliamentary to write to him to secure additional information. A letter will be sent in the coming days.
superted
November 10, 2021 at 1:52 pm
Happy for Andrew but kind of sad too for all the people who get and share information internationally by means of this site. How will we be able to keep track of all the wrongness and liberties the DWP and government are taking and how to fight back and protect ourselves as best we may? This blog has done so much good and been a help to som many I will be very sad to see it go; hopefully somebody else will found a similar blog allowing the same interchange of news and information to take place along similar lines.
Thank you and goodbye, Andrew, and farewell to the rest of you too.
Paul
November 10, 2021 at 2:31 pm
Just one final question, can anyone remember when the High Court case is being heard regarding the none payment of £20 “Uplift” to legacy claimants? Or has it happened and I missed it?
trev
November 10, 2021 at 6:13 pm
17-18 next week
superted
November 10, 2021 at 6:15 pm
Cheers, not long to go …keep your fingers crossed!
trev
November 10, 2021 at 6:17 pm
Typical bleedin Commie! Throws his comrades under the bus just as soon as he reaches dry land.
fred
November 10, 2021 at 8:51 pm
Comments now closed.
Thanks to all our contributors.
Andrew Coates
November 11, 2021 at 7:47 am