staff writers at Ekklesia: a new way of thinking
Responding to the report on Universal Credit by the Work and Pensions Select Committee, which warns that the new benefits system could push low-income families into debt, Trades Union Congress General Secretary Brendan Barber has declared that, “The concerns raised in this report must not be ignored”.
He followed a host of NGO and charity experts, who say that the government must not run away from the difficulties the simplifying Universal Credit - welcomed in principle but feared in detail and practice by many – entails.
The report was launched in the House of Commons on 22 November 2012 by the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, Dame Anne Begg MP.
“It is deeply disturbing that some local authorities are already warning that the new monthly payment system could force some low-income families to turn to pay-day loan companies and loan sharks in an attempt to get by,” commented the outgoing TUC chief.
Mr Barber continued: “Ministers must also ensure that vulnerable people can access the new system. Moving the claims process entirely online seems like another potential recipe for disaster that could leave many applicants unsure about how to apply for their payments. Universal Credit is supposed to be about simplifying the benefits system not making it more complicated.
Continue reading (also contains a link to the report)
Hazel’s comment:
Many people on benefits do not have regular access to the internet and in this neck of the woods (Kettering in Northamptonshire) it costs £1 for 20 minutes at the public library. Put that on top of the difficulties of trying to budget monthly and I fear for many local families.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment