Austerity

It is oldbatty. I also don't understand why you have to reapply every year to get Disability Living Allowance for your disabled child. He has a disability, it's not going to magically disappear. Once he's been awarded DLA, it should be for life!

it just makes me so sad. It's cruel.

I know from experience that DLA rules have ALWAYS been rigorous unfortunately. My child lost it when she was old enough to manage her condition (to a degree) herself. Life is much more difficult for those with a disability but assessment of a condition is nothing new, and applied under Labour governments too unfortunately. Just added in the interest of fairness because this is an "awful Conservative government"thread. Life is unfair, difficult and always has bern.

I'd like to know about this golden age when applying for a benefit and keeping it, without checks and assessments being made, existed?

I must have missed it.
Unfortunately the system was open to abuse by some, which made it difficult then for those in genuine need.

I am not sure if any of us would condone benefit cheats?

Some of the most difficult, convoluted paperwork I have ever faced was applying for disability benefits and this was back in the '80s and '90s.

Please where does it say "awful Conservative government"

The quotation is from somebody on the left., true.

Its just so sad that people are reduced to poverty.

Hard to listen to Mrs May talking about the end of austerity.

If, and possibly when - we end up with a bad deal or no deal - and the economy tanks- I would have thought austerity would increase, rather than end.

I don't think many people have a great problem with the philosophy of Universal Credit; one monthly payment instead of bits and pieces being paid ad hoc during the month, a limit in line with average earnings to make work pay, and monthly payment in line with being employed....BUT, the actual processing and payments take so long that the majority of claimants fall into arrears with their rent or have to borrow large amounts of money, a situation which is very hard to get out of. This surely wasn't what was meant to happen? I am saddened by the number of people who still think that people on benefits are somehow second class citizens who are to be put through a rigorous process in order to 'catch them out'. Also, even if we were to look at it from a balance sheet/accountants point of view, and leave out the human aspect, it doesn't appear to be a financial success either.

BUT, the actual processing and payments take so long that the majority of claimants fall into arrears with their rent or have to borrow large amounts of money, a situation which is very hard to get out of. This surely wasn't what was meant to happen?

Exactly GillT57

The administration of it has been woeful - appalling even.
The idea isn't a bad one. Time (and long overdue) for (DSS, as was) workers going flat out to ensure people who are entitled to this benefit get the money they need.

It's been known for a long time that more clerical/administrative input is needed to make the system efficient.

Its just so sad that people are reduced to poverty.

It is. You are stating the obvious, and I imagine we all agree.

Sadly, it has always existed.

As we have mentioned on other threads, name one successful socialist system where everyone could say they have exactly the same as their neighbour and no one existed with more wealth than they have?

It's one of life's inequalities and hard for people at the bottom of the pile. Been there, as have many of us. A welfare state means living in this country, with all it's ills, is still an infinitely better option than living in certain other parts of the world.

Of course I am stating the obvious and presumably I am able to do so without getting into a discussion about the socialist system.

I feel and I observe that this government has been cruel and heartless in the way it protects vulnerable people and it makes me feel sad.
That doesn't make me a Corbynista whatever one of those is.

It sounded so simple, to roll together all the different benefits into one.
it is not simple because life is complicated.
The system has been trialed in various areas and found to have problems.
I think one of the more unpleasant and ridiculous aspects of it has been changed, that of having a gap of five weeks before receiving any money when claimants were supposed to live off non existent savings.
Other problems remain, but instead of halting the roll out and having a look at the problems, the Govt. seems intent on ploughing ahead regardless.
A trial is supposed to be a try out, if something is not working well then the trial needs to be halted and the problems sorted, not to just go ahead anyway.

Day6 I agree with your posts.A family member has to apply for this, so I have sympathy for them, but actually disabilities do ( or can) change with time, so this is why you have to re -apply.The public purse has to be looked after, and cannot accept everything ‘for life’ with no checks.

This system is a good one ( universal credits) but I do agree Ilovecheese that bureaucracy surrounding it, was for quite a while hit and miss, and nobody should be expected to wait for 6 weeks ( or whatever it was at first.) I don’t think they do now fortunately.

There are other problems that need to be sorted out, before it is rolled out any further.
If a person is paid four weekly, instead of monthly, sometimes there are two payments in the same calendar month.
Universal Credit does not take this into account and just assumes that twice as much money has been earned in that month, and reduces the UC correspondingly. It is problems like these that need to be solved first, before UC is rolled out all over the country.

Being severely disabled myself I am registered in various forums where of course the welfare/benefits system is a major topic.
There are many who have problems with universal credit but also many who have no problem with it and are better off on it than their previous benefit(s), of course the latter tend to be less vocal and those with problems are highlighted.
That is not to say it is the people who claim it and have problems are the cause of the problem, the system has many flaws and is cruelly indifferent to those unable to understand it. Even the DWP staff often misinterpret it which should not happen but with such a complex system that is being live trialled and constantly revised it is not suprising.
Adding to the complexity, it is an online benefit and this itself is nigh on an impossiblity for some claimants, illiteracy is still rife, poor grasp of language and limited understanding of what is expected of them all cause the system to fail and the ones that suffer are the ones that need help the most.
Imagine all the above and then on top of it being physically or mentally disadvantaged, or both, with the obstacles that can bring. Mobility, comprehension, decision making to mention just three.
Compound it still further because the people trying to claim sustenance are worried, fearful, do not understand the situation, are probably at their lowest ebb with least resources and resilience and have in turn others depending on them.
For some it is their reality, a Kafkaesque nightmare.

I do not for a second consider this to be brought about by a cruel and callous Government, I see it as an inevitable consequence of a mis-guided one fits all self serve benefits system, "Here is the Claims system, sit down at the keyboard, fill in what applies to you,and sit and wait for the money in the bank"
Problems begin, everyone is in a different situation, with different needs, abilities and circumstances and urgencies.

But I do not see it as a result of a cruel or indifferent government, just a flawed and all too human system that needs more guidance and help from the other side of the desk for those that cannot get what is rightfully theirs.

Excellent post Stree I think you are absolutely right on all counts.

Thank you Lemongrove.

As we have mentioned on other threads, name one successful socialist system where everyone could say they have exactly the same as their neighbour and no one existed with more wealth than they have?

No-one has advocated such a system on this thread, nor on any other threads on this forum. If you think that they have you have a very vivid imagination, Day6.

Maize d

Perhaps Day 6 was eluding to the question that was asked on another thread when posters said Brown and Blair were not 'True Socialists '

That was before Tories were likened to VERMIN and Centrists ROAD KILL.

POGS Fri 05-Oct-18 01:28:47
It is repeatedly said by many posters Blair and Brown were not true socialists.

Therefore , presumably Corbyn/McDonnell and their inner circle are thought to be 'True Socialists' . Mind you I get confused what a ' True Socialist ' is/means if that excludes believing in ' overthrowing Capitalism' as some would have us believe is not where Corbyn/MsDonnell et al are coming from by their own volition.

Can anybody name a ' True Socialist ' country that has 'overthrown Capitalism' and has been successful with it's economy and it's people? I struggle to think of one.

I think the only reply was CUBA.

'alluding', POGS

'Eluding' is something completely different.

You have a vivid imagination, too.

When all a poster does is criticise another poster’s spelling or grammar or typos etc it shows they have no real answer so resort to this juvenile sniping.

ah well, lemongrove- you may well have a very good point here, thank you for your support.

So, is it platts, or plaits- pray tell? Sounds like platts for sure.
Juvenile sniping and certainly no answers.

Unless you have one, for the DUP and Irish border, please.

So, is it platts, or plaits- pray tell? Sounds like platts for sure
Go check. .

Huh?
Think you are on the wrong thread jura

Maizie d

Thank you for correcting my mistake but your point to Day 6 was :-

" No-one has advocated such a system on this thread, nor on any other threads on this forum. If you think that they have you have a very vivid imagination, Day6."

Did my post answer your question because raising my spelling mistake seems to me to be another ploy to ignore the fact it was not Day 6 who was the one with a vivid imagination and Day 6 was correct .