With the benefit cap story yesterday comes the inevitable scrounger stories and the stories (like this) from the daily mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2364718/No-benefit-child-youre-dole-Tories-unveil-controversial-welfare-plan.html
These stories completely misunderstand the point of benefits. They are not a lifestyle choice but a back up plan. They are not a cushion but a safety net. They are NOT permanent but a temporary solution.
If you consider all the stuff they have been peddling in the last few days some of their suggestions are downright ridiculous.
Teenage mums not being allowed housing benefit, or access to a flat? There no consideration of individual circumstances where this might be the only and safest option for young mums. Or even that they might be responsible enough to consider parenthood. It reduces the young single Mum to a feckless scrounger who wants to live off the state for her entire life. It is at best responding to a dangerous stereotype.
Under 25s not being allowed housing benefit? I have seen this suggestion before. Unfortunately, this would even affect graduates who find work, but a few years later it dries up and then they would become homeless. It will affect anyone, even those people who have worked from the age of 16 and then lose their jobs. It is not a well targetted idee at all. Again, all young people are obviously on benefits to get a cushy life from the state. I think someones been watching too much shameless.
The last one, and the one in the article is the 'best' though. If you have a large family then they think you shouldn't be entitled to more than 2 childrens worth of child benefit. Again, looking at the comments, it seems that people have been sucked in to the idea that all these changes are only affecting those people who haven't worked and have no intention of doing so. These people who have large families and fit into these small criteria are very few and far between, but often highlighted by the daily mail and other media outlets making them seem commonplace. Unfortunately who this will actually affect more is those people who have been working and through no fault of their own find themselves out of work. They didn't chose to have these children whilst on benefits, they didn't choose to lose their jobs. They can't simply get rid of their children when they find themselves out of work.
remember, first they came for, but I didn't speak because it didnt affect me.. or so I thought.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Monday, 8 July 2013
i am persona non grata in benefits eyes.
Last time I checked i was a real human. Not according to the benefits agency. This is pretty laughable if it wasn't true.
As of the 1st June my lovely fiance is living with me. We are currently holed up in a 1 bedroom flat with enough stuff for a two bedroom flat. But i'm sure we will get there with sorting ourselves. One of the main reasons why he is living with me before our wedding in august is because of the way the benefits system works (or doesn't).
I was on ESA, in the support group, but this was due to run out in august. In fact as he was moving in I received another ESA50. However, because I am entitled to the higher rate of care DLA he can claim carers allowance, and in turn income support. This is a couple claim, based very much on me as the cared for person.
I hate the language and suggestions of the way the benefits are set up. I am no longer anything bar the cared for person. Daniel is my carer. He is no longer my fiance, husband, partner. He is in law, my carer. This makes me feel extremely powerless and out of any control of the income we have. However, its a happy compromise becuase we both know this is just the way it has to be to get the money we need to live on and it is just benefit speak.
However, there are more serious consequences that I hadn't bargained for. I am not a person anymore. Despite the benefits being reliant on MY DLA and my status as a disabled person, and of course the fact that I am named on the benefit, I can no longer talk to them about my benefits claim. It is completely dis empowering when I am forced to hand over the phone to my partner because (and I quote) "you don't have equal rights on the claim". As, in the eyes of the law I am no longer in receipt of means tested benefits I received a letter from the student loans company asking where my income is coming from. I presume that this could also cause complications with other secondary benefits of being on means tested benefits.
Which goes nicely round to my reason for the call. I was trying to get a proof of benefit letter for my income support claim. you know, with my name on it? Nope, we have to speak to your partner to get authorization to do that. All I can say is hurry up and get a job...
Just to add I read this article yesterday: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jul/06/domestic-abusers-family-finances-new-universal-credit They are concerned about the impact of universal credit? what about the impact of the current system on abusive relationships? the couple claim is not equal now. I can't even speak to them without my partner. I am not named on my own benefit. Stuff the future, what about the now?
As of the 1st June my lovely fiance is living with me. We are currently holed up in a 1 bedroom flat with enough stuff for a two bedroom flat. But i'm sure we will get there with sorting ourselves. One of the main reasons why he is living with me before our wedding in august is because of the way the benefits system works (or doesn't).
I was on ESA, in the support group, but this was due to run out in august. In fact as he was moving in I received another ESA50. However, because I am entitled to the higher rate of care DLA he can claim carers allowance, and in turn income support. This is a couple claim, based very much on me as the cared for person.
I hate the language and suggestions of the way the benefits are set up. I am no longer anything bar the cared for person. Daniel is my carer. He is no longer my fiance, husband, partner. He is in law, my carer. This makes me feel extremely powerless and out of any control of the income we have. However, its a happy compromise becuase we both know this is just the way it has to be to get the money we need to live on and it is just benefit speak.
However, there are more serious consequences that I hadn't bargained for. I am not a person anymore. Despite the benefits being reliant on MY DLA and my status as a disabled person, and of course the fact that I am named on the benefit, I can no longer talk to them about my benefits claim. It is completely dis empowering when I am forced to hand over the phone to my partner because (and I quote) "you don't have equal rights on the claim". As, in the eyes of the law I am no longer in receipt of means tested benefits I received a letter from the student loans company asking where my income is coming from. I presume that this could also cause complications with other secondary benefits of being on means tested benefits.
Which goes nicely round to my reason for the call. I was trying to get a proof of benefit letter for my income support claim. you know, with my name on it? Nope, we have to speak to your partner to get authorization to do that. All I can say is hurry up and get a job...
Just to add I read this article yesterday: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jul/06/domestic-abusers-family-finances-new-universal-credit They are concerned about the impact of universal credit? what about the impact of the current system on abusive relationships? the couple claim is not equal now. I can't even speak to them without my partner. I am not named on my own benefit. Stuff the future, what about the now?
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