I know I keep on banging on that universal credit is going to be a disaster for the party (another piece of brilliance from IDS)
THE full impact of the new Universal Credit (UC) benefit system on East Lothian has been laid bare in a shocking new report that shows that nearly three-quarters of all tenants on UC in the county are living with rent arrears.
More than 2,500 council tenants (30 per cent) were shown as having rent arrears at the end of December last year.
But a staggering 72 per cent (1,015) of local authority tenants on UC were in arrears, owing close to a million pounds (£981,745.63) to the local authority.
The period since the new combined benefit system was introduced was described by a council official as “extremely challenging”, adding that the system had created an “unprecedented” amount of work that had “really tested the resolve of those working to address the impact”.
That is largely an issue with the delays in receiving UC, which are gradually being ironed out as even that report says by intervening early for those having difficulties, rather than UC itself.
UC itself will end the current problem with the benefits system whereby all benefits can be lost if you work more than 16 hours a week.
You've not read the work and pensions committee's latest report on Universal Credit then.
I know I keep on banging on that universal credit is going to be a disaster for the party (another piece of brilliance from IDS)
THE full impact of the new Universal Credit (UC) benefit system on East Lothian has been laid bare in a shocking new report that shows that nearly three-quarters of all tenants on UC in the county are living with rent arrears.
More than 2,500 council tenants (30 per cent) were shown as having rent arrears at the end of December last year.
But a staggering 72 per cent (1,015) of local authority tenants on UC were in arrears, owing close to a million pounds (£981,745.63) to the local authority.
The period since the new combined benefit system was introduced was described by a council official as “extremely challenging”, adding that the system had created an “unprecedented” amount of work that had “really tested the resolve of those working to address the impact”.
That is largely an issue with the delays in receiving UC, which are gradually being ironed out as even that report says by intervening early for those having difficulties, rather than UC itself.
UC itself will end the current problem with the benefits system whereby all benefits can be lost if you work more than 16 hours a week.
You've not read the work and pensions committee's latest report on Universal Credit then.
Which again deals with the issue of the need to reduce the wait for UC (which of course was set under Osborne who is as responsible as IDS on that front) not the principle which is vital for ending the scandal in the current benefits system whereby there is an active disincentive to work more than 16 hours a week if you are a low earner
I know I keep on banging on that universal credit is going to be a disaster for the party (another piece of brilliance from IDS)
THE full impact of the new Universal Credit (UC) benefit system on East Lothian has been laid bare in a shocking new report that shows that nearly three-quarters of all tenants on UC in the county are living with rent arrears.
More than 2,500 council tenants (30 per cent) were shown as having rent arrears at the end of December last year.
But a staggering 72 per cent (1,015) of local authority tenants on UC were in arrears, owing close to a million pounds (£981,745.63) to the local authority.
The period since the new combined benefit system was introduced was described by a council official as “extremely challenging”, adding that the system had created an “unprecedented” amount of work that had “really tested the resolve of those working to address the impact”.
That is largely an issue with the delays in receiving UC, which are gradually being ironed out as even that report says by intervening early for those having difficulties, rather than UC itself.
UC itself will end the current problem with the benefits system whereby all benefits can be lost if you work more than 16 hours a week.
You've not read the work and pensions committee's latest report on Universal Credit then.
Which again deals with the issue of the need to reduce the wait for UC (which of course was set under Osborne who is as responsible as IDS on that front) not the principle which is vital for ending the scandal in the current benefits system whereby there is an active disincentive to work more than 16 hours a week if you are a low earner
So no you haven't read it.
Ministers expect the public to “take it on faith” that the controversial universal credit reform will deliver an improved service for claimants, despite an absence of proof that it works or will save money, an all-party MPs’ report warns.
The Commons work and pensions committee says the government has yet to produce a full business case justifying universal credit, seven years after the programme started, and there remains “considerable uncertainty about its costs and benefits”.
“They [ministers] have produced no evidence to back up the key, central economic assumption of the biggest reform to our welfare system in 50 years. William Beveridge [the founder of the welfare state] will be rolling in his grave,” the committee chair Frank Field said.
He can spring quick surprises that May simply cannot react to, as he showed in the election debate ambush.
She couldn't pick a dish from an Indian takeaway without doing a review for 6 months first.
Corbyn's strategy on Brexit is quite simple, and always has been: he supports the softest Brexit that is palatable to Labour's target voters.
So, we can take from the imminent Customs Union shift that Labour's internal polls are showing that, as expected, Lab's target voters aren't particularly bothered about the CU or about missing out on "trade deals" (whereas their target voters probably do think more immigration control is a non-negotiable part of Brexit, and cancelling the whole thing is certainly a no-go).
You've not read the work and pensions committee's latest report on Universal Credit then.
Which again deals with the issek if you are a low earner
So no you haven't read it.
Ministers expect the public to “take it on faith” that the controversial universal credit reform will deliver an improved service for claimants, despite an absence of proof that it works or will save money, an all-party MPs’ report warns.
The Commons work and pensions committee says the government has yet to produce a full business case justifying universal credit, seven years after the programme started, and there remains “considerable uncertainty about its costs and benefits”.
“They [ministers] have produced no evidence to back up the key, central economic assumption of the biggest reform to our welfare system in 50 years. William Beveridge [the founder of the welfare state] will be rolling in his grave,” the committee chair Frank Field said.
The case for UC is blatantly obvious, ending the current scandal where you can lose all your benefits if you work more than 16 hours a week.
The management problems the committee identifies which are gradually being resolved again have nothing to do with the key benefit UC will bring which is ensuring work always pays.
Note too 'The report says that while in 2013 universal credit was “on the brink of complete failure”, it is to the credit of the DWP that it is now back from the brink, despite extensive delays, and is run more professionally with a “collective sense of purpose”.
Frank Field, the chairman of the work and pensions committee, is of course a Labour MP.
According to the BBC net migration from the EU was 90,000 in the year to September 2017. They obviously have not had the memo saying how xenophobic and bigoted we are here.
Comments
Ministers expect the public to “take it on faith” that the controversial universal credit reform will deliver an improved service for claimants, despite an absence of proof that it works or will save money, an all-party MPs’ report warns.
The Commons work and pensions committee says the government has yet to produce a full business case justifying universal credit, seven years after the programme started, and there remains “considerable uncertainty about its costs and benefits”.
“They [ministers] have produced no evidence to back up the key, central economic assumption of the biggest reform to our welfare system in 50 years. William Beveridge [the founder of the welfare state] will be rolling in his grave,” the committee chair Frank Field said.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/08/universal-credit-all-party-report-raises-fears-over-workability-of-system
So, we can take from the imminent Customs Union shift that Labour's internal polls are showing that, as expected, Lab's target voters aren't particularly bothered about the CU or about missing out on "trade deals" (whereas their target voters probably do think more immigration control is a non-negotiable part of Brexit, and cancelling the whole thing is certainly a no-go).
The management problems the committee identifies which are gradually being resolved again have nothing to do with the key benefit UC will bring which is ensuring work always pays.
Note too 'The report says that while in 2013 universal credit was “on the brink of complete failure”, it is to the credit of the DWP that it is now back from the brink, despite extensive delays, and is run more professionally with a “collective sense of purpose”.
Frank Field, the chairman of the work and pensions committee, is of course a Labour MP.
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