It’s time to end blame culture over benefits bill, says Labour minister
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/17/its-time-to-end-blame-culture-over-benefits-bill-says-labour-minister?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Posted by JimJonesdrinkkoolaid
9 Comments
This reads like – “We’re going to screw you but we’re going to tell you that we have your back whilst doing so”.
No more “salami slicing” then comes across like she’s just going to amputate instead.
Welfare state not fit for purpose. It’s all going to collapse unless there is radical overhaul otherwise the state will exist solely as of a handful of remaining schools, the NHS and state pension before too long, everything else sacrificed at the altar of entitlements. Budgets for other departments are already now so low that massive cuts results in almost nothing for the sacred cows of the NHS and welfare bills.
Muh “tax Amazon the 90%” not feasible, something like 50% of people in this country are state dependents (ie take out more than they give in) already – way above the highs of even the madness of the 1970s.
It’s time to have a proper look at how the fkrs are fleecing us with THIER benefits and expenses
Time to roll out UBI/CBI?
One thing it could solve is the perennial issue of it sometimes not being worthwhile taking a job because of the detrimental effect it can have on benefits.
One major issue is the complexity of the system. There are over 150 different benefits with many different eligibility criteria and application processes. Many 1,000s of people are employed to administer this and they regularly make mistakes – some accidental, some because of poor training, some because, perhaps deliberately, assessors are pushed to interpret applications in the worst possible way.
For example, PIP (Personal Independence Payment) which is for supporting those with long-term illness or disabilities – it is possible to apply on your own but to get an award, you are much better getting help from an organisation such as Citizens Advice. They know the rules and the key words DWP assessors are looking for.
[https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/)
If you get refused, then there is a “Mandatory Reconsideration” – this is almost always refused because essentially it is checking for the most basic of errors, such as DWP got your address wrong. It is a waste of time for all concerned – many, who don’t understand, give up at this point …
You can then appeal the decision – this is the first time your case is going to be properly considered in detail by properly qualified medical people.
70% of those who appeal win an award !!!
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58284613](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58284613)
This tells me the PIP eligibility and application process is designed to fail people. If DWP assessors were properly trained and managed, getting it right first time, huge amounts of time and money would be saved, not to mention the suffering, distress and anguish of those initially rejected,
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The UK is in terminal decline.
20% of working age adults are out of work and not looking for work. 4% of working age adults are unemployed. That’s a total of 24% of working age adults out of work in the UK. That’s 10 million out of work. There are 800,000 open job vacancies. If we filled every open role in the economy, we would still have 9.2 million out of work.
The jobs we do have are concentrated in London where Rent on a single bedroom is close to £1,000 pcm.
In other words we have 10 applicants for every one job in the economy. This is why salaries are low. “People just need to start working” is no different than the Tory gaslighting.
I don’t blame people desperately seeking a disability diagnosis, having children and looking for other benefits when it is their best opportunity to make some money, get a (council) home and survive in a hostile economy.
The welfare and benefits bill is the single largest expense for the government, greater than the NHS. It is also growing year on year.
The fixes are going to be painful. We need to break the doom spiral of increasing taxes to pay for more benefits. The increase taxes reduces the size of the economy, increasing unemployment.
We need to stop scrapping long term economic investment to meet short term welfarecaremedical spending.
We need to stop listening to “Business leaders” demanding high immigration to fill job vacancies. We already have a 10-1 workerjob ratio. Excess workers just allow them drive down salaries as many are competing for roles. If certain skills are missing – let’s train and educate.
They are about to do it again when the markets implode,