The Budget - will it make any difference ?

Unfortunately the electorate were bribed by the Brexit promises which may have led the govt to believe that they could again con the British public. I think that the reaction to the Spring statement has surprised them, not that they will do anything about it.

I think it's shocking that Sunak has a war chest which he is saving until the next Budget, rather than spending money to help the most needy now.

Ah, but Dickens there are those even on GN who think such people such pull themselves up by the bootstraps. It's their own fault they feel as they do, doncha know! Maybe their forebears from 100 years ago didn't instil the right spirit.

Doodledog

That’s disgraceful - your poor friend! I don’t know how people can carry out assessments like that and then sleep at night.

It is widely reported that claimants with mental health problems who have talked about suicide are routinely asked why they have not yet killed themselves. And some who have attempted it in the past, are asked why they 'failed'.

Of course one could argue that the assessors are simply trying to assess whether or not you genuinely are suicidal, or simply saying it to gain sympathy and points.

And these assessors are 'trained' people from a medical environment, I believe. But they are not necessarily experienced in the disabilities or illnesses of the conditions the claimants are dealing with. There was an instance that came to light where an assessor was making judgements on a highly complex case involving both physical disability and mental illness. The claimant failed (and won on appeal). The assessor's field of expertise? She had been a chiropodist.

Then there have been those who were seriously ill - some waiting for surgery - found fit for work who not long after died.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the whole system is designed to fail as many claimants as possible. And I would like to know how much this actually saves. So many claimants appeal the decision which is then reversed... it must cost more than it saves.

No one with mental health problems should be asked why they haven't successfully done away with themselves. Anyone who understands mental health will more than likely know when someone is embellishing their condition without asking such an intrusive quesion.

Oh yes Dinahmo, I agree with you, and feel despair too at the Labour party who are not standing up and shouting about this. It is so obvious, a blind economically illiterate person can see it, but nobody mentions the elephant in the room that is Brexit. To listen to those moronic cheers in the HoC last week when the pathetic and cruel spring statement was hailed, all the nonsense about fiscal responsibility from a chancellor who casually dismissed and wrote off in excess of £8bn of mine and your money which had been stolen, it is beyond parody. Brexit was and will continue to be a complete clusterf**k, a massive act of fiscal and societal suicide. Has anybody actually thought about what the much heralded tax cuts mean? £100 less tax on every £10,000 above your personal allowance. Frankly, it is an effing cheek to think that the electorate are so stupid that they will be bribed by this, an amount which in no way compensates for the failure to raise personal allowances until 2025.

An excerpt from Will Hutton's column in the Observer today -
Brexit is the cause, not remotely compensated for by any of the much-vaunted trade deals outside the EU. Falling trade is a drag on growth – and weakens firms’ inducement to raise productivity. Bad and bad, although the reign of silence on Brexit – and that very much includes you, Labour party – means that the damage goes unnoticed and uncriticised.

We are governed by uncreative over-claimers obsessed by Thatcherite shibboleths – hating Europe, fetishising tax cuts and “fiscal responsibility” and wilfully careless of the condition of the people. Sunak’s disastrous spring budget was a seismic event, but he was only making choices faithful to the conceit that the Tories’ priorities and values are those of the country.

The near-universally hostile reaction was testimony to just how out of touch this narrow tribe has become. Britain is not aching for tax cuts or everlasting enmity with Europe. It wants a government that has its back and understands its instincts for fairness and wants to see a creative framework that will stimulate growth and living standards. The message from last week is unambiguous. These Conservatives have run out of ideas and road. Our stricken society and failing economy need so much more.

Yes JaneJ. It was heartbreaking.

Have you seen sorry we missed you? it is about gig working

Time for a reminder of Ken Loach's 2016 film "I am Daniel Blake" which follows the story of a 59 year old man, recovering from an heart attack, trying to access the benefit system. It is not a true story in itself but is based upon real case studies and interviews with claimants. It was an appalling indictment of the system which I suspect is far worse now.

I have heard similar reports JaneJudge, the steps, lack of easy access, no parking etc. The cynical in me concludes that if you are able to actually get to the interview/assessment, then you lose points simply by getting there. A point; isn't there a legal requirement for all public buildings to have fair access for all? How are the DWP able then to hold assessments in buildings which are not legally accessible?

My daughter who has had a severe disability since birth was called for a PIP assessment too and I can tell you that all the people with their carers in the waiting room (which was up steps and had no car park!) were all obviously disabled and vulnerable what a waste of money it all is. The fraud rate for DLA/PIP is below 1% too, so it is all completely unnecessary

I get what you are saying MOnica, I too am from a family who went from going down the mine at 14/working in service, to professions in 3 generations, but the difference is that now, I believe, the leg up, the different routes do not exist. In my own family, my Mother's older siblings were able to attend evening classes to achieve the necessary qualifications needed. One uncle ended up as an auditor for a major company, without having to attend university as he would today, this would have been an impossibility, financially, for the family. The routes that were open to some of us, such as starting as a lowly clerk in local authority or civil service, isn't as available as it was.

That’s disgraceful - your poor friend! I don’t know how people can carry out assessments like that and then sleep at night.

* I believe the 'assessment' is a trap - one designed to remove all but the obviously seriously disabled from the books, and lo! see what the disabled can do if given the "opportunity" to be declared fit for work by a cleverly designed check-list!*

Spot on. I also fear how many of those obviously seriously disabled will also suffer. I have a friend who has above knee amputations to both legs and numerous other problems including incontinence, caused by a neurological birth defect. During the assessment for migration from DLA to PIP, she was asked why she needed help getting in and out of the shower. The assessor assumed she could simply sit on the shower floor so didn’t need any assistance !! Throughout the assessment, every embarrassing detail of her condition was probed and questioned with the clear intention of reducing the points scored wherever possible. Her award was reduced and the complicated and time limited appeal process was beyond her so she complained to her MP. The decision was reversed and the DWP apologised, saying that the procedure in her case fell far short of their standards. She was lucky, her MP took up her case, but there are undoubtedly many others at the wrong end of similar decisions who are not so fortunate. A prime example of the inadequacies of the staff appointed to carry out these assessments and of a tick box system with no room for the application of either common sense or compassion. By design.

* Either we pay a state pension or we don't. To tell people who have paid in that theirs should be reduced to pay for those who haven't is never going to be a vote winner, or a moral choice. *

And yet this is exactly the principle on which the care system is based. Those who self fund care in later life are routinely charged around 25% more, to fund those who cannot afford to pay. So the home you worked for all your life and which you hoped your children would inherit, is not just sold to fund your own care, but that of others too.

Do you feel your children's schools gave them confidence M0nica?

I'm not sure you grasped what I said M0nica - almost certainly my fault. I was talking about how wealth gives people the sense that they are superior beings, that they are 'better bred'. I didn't mention a sense of entitlement although it is relevant.

As I have said elsewhere, New Right economic theory sees inequality as natural and desirable. "Ill bred" is such an old fashioned phrase but the right, notably the New Right Conservatives, still think it's true that some are born to succeed (better bred) and they believe -and this is where entitlement does come in - those people have the right to govern and the right to be rich.

I think that we can all quote or identify someone who has successfully moved up the ladder, but when we talk about social mobility we are talking about whole societies not individuals.

The number of people who actually fall into these priveleged groups is not that large. The majority of children at all income levels attend state schools are taught together and mix together.

Both my children did go to private secondary schools, after attending state primaries. They did not attend the big schools with big names, none of their fellow pupils had fathers in important privileged positions. Many of the children there were forces children or children of other parents in peripatetic jobs and I cannot think of a single occasion when the fact that their schools were private let them into any old boys or old girls network, or gave them any privileged access or opportunities and this would apply to most private schools. certainly they have gone into their adult work life without any help

The fact that someone writes and publishes a book does not mean that their ideas are the gospel on the subject or even partially sustainable. I know of the book but have not read it.

I think all ideas that are commonly held should be challenged at regular intervals, no progress is ever made when everyone sts around agreeing with each other.

You have obviously never read Michael Sandal’s book “The Tyranny of Merit” MOnica.
Your family have obviously done very well from humble beginnings, but there are many thousands of others who work hard, and have “determination” but become worn down by insurmountable odds, which those from privileged backgrounds do not have.

I do think a lot of nonsense is talked about sense of entitlement. Coming from a family where 100 years ago my grandparents and their parents were living in some of the poorest areas of London, working as dockers or general labourers, and on one side born in Northern Ireland, illegitimate and a catholic yet died thoroughly middle income having pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps. They made their way in life by determination and being willing to take opportunities when they were offered, They had neither mentors, or patrons. Just a confidence in their abilities.

The biggest obstacle those in the bottom income group face today, is all those do-gooders constantly wringing their hands and telling them how difficult life is and how their chances are limited if they do manage to get good results in their exams.

Schools and all those wanting to help these children need to be encouraging them to aim for the sky, acknowledge that they may have more problems than some but if they put their mind to it they can achieve a lot.

I am really saddened when I hear so mny hcildren and adults, as soon as something really nasty happens to them start saying that whatever it is'it has ruined their lives'

One of my sister's and I both had 'ruin our lives' illnesses in childhood, but if we had tried to feel sorry for ourselves, we would soon have been told not to be so ridiculous and get on with our lives. Whatever your ambitions, there is always more than one route to the summit.

Disadvantaged children need encouragement and support, not people telling them how difficult their lives will be.

Yes it’s very true DaisyAnne. We don’t all start with a level playing field, and those born into privilege ingest a sense of entitlement with their mother’s milk.
This is reinforced at public school, then onto the old boys network.

Research has found that many of the wealthy believe their money affirms their belief in their innate superiority. Donald Trump Jr. said refering to his father in an interview: “Like him, I’m a big believer in race-horse theory. He’s an incredibly accomplished guy, my mother’s incredibly accomplished, she’s an Olympian, so I’d like to believe genetically I’m predisposed to [be] better than average.” We all know who shared this view in the past.

It wouldn't surprise me if they found Johnson thinks the same. He said he wanted to be "World King" which suggests he may well do. That would explain why he thinks rules that apply to everyone else aren't for him. We have also seen an example in the past few days of company bosses, on exorbitant salaries, believing they are above the law.

This thinking has "trickled down". The phrases that Dickens quotes are the stock in trade of those who also believe themselves to be superior beings. Yet again it relates to the better off comparing themselves not in talent or ability but simply by the money they've stored up.

In America a study was undertaken after a college admissions scandal. It was found that incompetent, rich people are more likely to get ahead than smart people with no money. We have all seen a privileged upbringing bring more than talent, competence or learning does. Yet we still get those with some privilege believing they are better people than those with none. If anything, I think we have been going backwards in the elitism stakes.

Or “luck” may put them in the camp of those they deride!

Whitewavemark2

There is far more money gamed by those fiddling the tax system.

Absolutely - huge amounts. But for some reason, people only seem to be concerned about benefit 'scroungers'.

Either they don't believe it's true, or they are in awe of the very wealthy elite... or maybe they see themselves as Steinbeck's "temporarily embarrassed millionaires", and are just waiting for their luck to put them in the same category?

PS. I am a pensioner and I still work.