28 replies to this topic

[RHM]

Not that this applies to me but just a question relating to it.

 

A question relating to the governments new idea to cut the welfare payment and target society's most vulnerable.

They have abolished Council Tax Benefit and say that you now have to pay 20% towards it if you are of working age and capable to work etc. which is around £3.50 per week.

So someone on Job Seekers allowance has to pay around £3.50p per week, O.K. I get this bit.

How about someone who is on Income Support who doesn't have to look for work, apply for jobs or do anything else. Surely these persons are exempt from paying 20% towards their council tax because they don't have to look for work?

Your feedback appreciated.

[ady]

Personally i'm not sure of all the in-and-outs of ANYTHING thats going on atm from central government.

 

There are so many alterations to so many things happening at the same time "for the good" <--- so thery say!

 

Could this be to hide most of these taxes that are being added left, right and centre.

 

I know who won't get elected next time round!

[Daryl]

...most certainly not by me, with the hassle, distress, grief and fight I have had to have this past year with the changing of my benefits.

Yes, it is sorted now - but after having to appeal when I really shouldn't have had to have gone through the process in the first place has totally disheartened me to be honest.

I realise and understand that money has got to be saved and there has been some ridiculous waste, but to penalise and tarnish everyone as bone idle and scrounging, including the disabled, is totally unjustifiable - and I will never forgive them for that!

[damo0666]

The government want to cut peoples benefits, to save money, but as cutting peoples benefits directly, would not be allowed, so they do stupid thinks like this, and bring in stupid taxes like the bedroom tax, which is just another way of them saving money, but without directly cutting benefits, thats also why they are kicking so many disabled and ill people, off there Income Support, ESA and DLA, and making them claim Job Seekers Allowance, which is a lot less money, saving the government even more money, i hate this government, i will be voting UKIP, at the next general elections.

[vectra666]

Yes where as in daryl's case and others who are genuinely disabled or who cannot work for various reasons then they shouldn't pay council tax or rent or at least be able to claim some kind of benefit towards this, But what really pisses me off is the likes of the lazy swines like my downstairs neighbours whom both have no intention of working even though they're able enough to do so because they're better of on benefits infact if I worked all their income out, they,ve got two kids like me I work and get around £250wages a week plus approx £70 credits but they get the lot probably totalling a lot more like £400 so yes even jobless should have to pay a percentage of their council tax and rent at least then they're contributing to society instead of taking out

[gemini17]

...most certainly not by me, with the hassle, distress, grief and fight I have had to have this past year with the changing of my benefits.

Yes, it is sorted now - but after having to appeal when I really shouldn't have had to have gone through the process in the first place has totally disheartened me to be honest.

I realise and understand that money has got to be saved and there has been some ridiculous waste, but to penalise and tarnish everyone as bone idle and scrounging, including the disabled, is totally unjustifiable - and I will never forgive them for that!

I couldn't agree more Daryl.

Working with people who have disabilities,I see the full affect  that the cuts have had and will have again upon the individuals,with the up and coming changes..And it is penalising the most vulnerable in our society.

One of my friends is on long term sick with a back injury,having been awarded the 2nd stage of his ESA benefit.he is now £28 a week better off-yee ha!! rich or what ??

After his rental commitment,he has left to live on £220 a month! Hes got to eat out of that,pay everyday bills and get other provisions he needs(toiletries,clothes etc) and now out of that he has to pay £6.85 to wards the council tax!!! 

Would be grand to see a government minister live on the pittance above.

My mate  has worked all his life,for what?For who? 

I agree cutbacks have to be made,but yet again in true Conservative tradition,the poorest of are state are hit the hardest.Robbing the needy and in need to make the rich,wealthier.

 

Jay

[bri365]

What pisses me off about this and the last government is that the problem is staring them in the face, immigration. Now before you deal the racist card against me, let me just say that not all immigrants are the same. I have the upmost admiration for the Pakistani communities who came here with nothing and worked long hard hours to get what they have today. What the gevernment needs to deal with is the free loaders who think it is their right to have housing and benifits handed to them even though they have never contributed to the social system. You see them in the towns centres near where I live in the lastest desginer clothes and latest mobile phones.

My mum still lives on the council estate that I grew up on. Lots of people there on benifits yet they all drive nice new cars etc. My mums neighbours are on the social yet the woman can afford to go to bingo 7 nights a week and get taxis to and from bingo. My mums a pensioner who gets her state pension and a small £40 per month pension from my late fathers work, so the housing association found out she gets this extra £40 a month and raised her rent by £40 a month. She has lived in the same house for 47 years but because she lives on her own and has a spare bedroom, the council are trying to force her out.

If this government wants to save money, why don't they stop giving billions on pounds in aid to countries that are no longer part of the commonwealth. Why don't they get out of Europe and stop paying billions of pounds in EU subsidy's and stop giving billions of pounds to bail out a failing euro. Time to shut the door on the freeloaders.

(rant over)

Edited by bri365, 31 March 2013 - 11:54 PM.

[fruitman69]

The government want to cut peoples benefits, to save money, but as cutting peoples benefits directly, would not be allowed, so they do stupid thinks like this, and bring in stupid taxes like the bedroom tax, which is just another way of them saving money, but without directly cutting benefits, thats also why they are kicking so many disabled and ill people, off there Income Support, ESA and DLA, and making them claim Job Seekers Allowance, which is a lot less money, saving the government even more money, i hate this government, i will be voting UKIP, at the next general elections.

 

Yep for different reasons, but I will be voting UKIP next too, maybe they can sort it out where the others have failed, worth a go.

Edited by fruitman69, 01 April 2013 - 12:37 AM.

[stanmarsh14]

Not that this applies to me but just a question relating to it.

 

A question relating to the governments new idea to cut the welfare payment and target society's most vulnerable.

They have abolished Council Tax Benefit and say that you now have to pay 20% towards it if you are of working age and capable to work etc. which is around £3.50 per week.

So someone on Job Seekers allowance has to pay around £3.50p per week, O.K. I get this bit.

How about someone who is on Income Support who doesn't have to look for work, apply for jobs or do anything else. Surely these persons are exempt from paying 20% towards their council tax because they don't have to look for work?

Your feedback appreciated.

 

Basically anyone on welfare payments, will be subjected to the new charge.

Give you my situ with Erewash Borough Council in Derbyshire...... I am a full-time carer for mum and I am on a mix of income support and carer's allowance, and the BOTH of us who live in separate homes, are now being faced with a charge on a band A property of about £65 for the year, which is 8.5%, and is actually quite low compared to most who are being hit for around £130.

However, Nottingham City Council as part of the other evil Bedroom Tax issue (Bollocks to the bedroom tax, to be sung to the tune of bollocks to the poll tax), have actually used their brains quite well, and has redefined what counts as a bedroom in their social housing, so people don't get hit by the reductions to housing payments, because as the point they made and using the Victoria flats as an example....... why would a family be in a high rise property like Victoria Centre flats, where access is quite limited and generally unsuitable, and thus difficult to rent out to people with children?

NCC They, along with Derby and Leicester councils was probs the most hardest hit with the central government funding issue.

More info from one of the Disability Rights sites I follow via Facebook......

http://blacktriangle...m-tax-decision/

(Site is currently down for maintenance, but will be back later, however this link is a must read!)

Edited by stanmarsh14, 01 April 2013 - 01:20 AM.

[spa]

There's a new thing coming in this year called Universal Credit. This will roll all benefits onto one.

 

Google it. There's loads about it, does not appear to be well known by alot of people. It was planned to start in 4 areas in April but has now gone to one. They hope to have it across the country by October 2013.

 

Now I am no Consev but with their latest claims, the vote to say in or out of the EU and the fact they will be coming down hard on foreign benefit claimants is enough to get my vote to them.  

 

End of the day, IMHO, voting for anyone else apart from Labour or Conservs is a wasted voted. One of those will get the majority so will end up in power again. Parties like UKIP will not get in, maybe apart of a coalition.

[Bandits]

Over 10,000 people have comitted suicide over austerity measures and around 36 people add to that number every week, people responsible for these deaths should be charged with crimes against humanity it's nothing short of social cleansing !

http://www.walesonli...91466-32623739/

 

Th house of commons food bill is £60,000 week £1.3 milion a year.

 

Ian duncan smith lives in a £2,million mansion paid for by the tax payers.

 

I am having to pay bedroom tax because i live in 2-bedroom council flat i have 3 kids who take turns sleeping over weekends but they expect me to share bedroom with my 14yr old daughter, if i downsize i will have to go private rent and private rent is higher so the goverment will have to pay more.

 

Crime levels will rise and it cost over £800 per week to keep 1 person in prison.

No one elected this goverment but i feel labour and conservatives are just 2 heads on the same beast so i will vote ukip !

[Bandits]

Ian Duncan Smith claims he could live on just £53 week, this man is a complete jerk he lives in a £2-million mansion paid for by the tax payer, he could NOT live on £53 a week, It's a disgrace and an insult ! No one voted for the tories they were unelected and the sooner they go the better !

 

http://www.telegraph...er-week.html?fb

[Daryl]

What an absolute tit that IDS is... he couldn't even run the Conservatives when he was leader of them.

It looks like he is taking his revenge out on those who cannot fight back - until the next election, when I hope he is voted out, losing Parliamentary privilege, and prosecuted for crimes against the State - he certainly deserves to be in in my opinion!

[banditboy2006]

In a couples a years time people would be better of shop lifting and dealing in drugs as when you get out of prison they give you every thing and make people who need it they dont get a dime

[Zoltar]

 I'm all for slashing the welfare bill and ridding this country of the sheer bone-idle and lazy shites who have no intent of working and contrubuting to society.

 

 I do however think Ian Duncan Smith is an  idiot.

 

 He says that there is no incentive to work when benefits pay more than work. So he cuts benefits. Are benefits too high? I started working when I was 16. On £27 per week. Admittedly it was a YTS (Youth Training Scheme). But £27.30 a week? For 40 hours? Thats 68p per hour. My first big job was for Northern Upholstery, now DFS and that was £118 per 45 hour week. They paid me £2.62 per hour. I had 3 kids, a house and had to claim Family Credit. Of course, with inflation and the costs of living back in the 80's and 90's, it may not sound all that bad. But lets put it into perspective....

 

Northern Upholstery....

£2.62 per hour.... Plus Family Credit....

I got made redundant from this job in 1990 when I was 21. I shat myself thinking I couldn't survive on the dole. Ironically, I got housing benefits, poll tax benefits and after everything was worked out, I was £5 a week worse off on the dole. Then when you take into account things like lunch, bus fares, I was better off on the old Nat king Cole.... (dole)

 

Today, I'm doing fine. I pay into the system, and take nothing out. I've just bought a new house and I'm doing alright for myself but my attitude towards social topics hasn't changed.

 

Mr Duncan Smith....

Benefits are not too high. Wages are too low. If any company or employer decides to take on staff, and pay them shit wages, so shit that they have to claim benefits/tax credits, then you shouldn't be in business. I have nothing against the principles of capitalism and wealth creation and theres so so many organisations out there doing it right. But when 1 company that pays a decent living wage to employees, is competing against a company allowed to pay poverty wages and the state makes up the short fall to that company, then the decent company itself is the one most at risk. The one that does things right. The company with morals....

 

 Oh yes, Yes Mr Duncan Smith, lets cut benefits when theres no jobs too.....

 

 When will this government start accepting responsibilities for its policies instead of blaming the last government for todays woes. Yes, Labour were a set of coonts but blaming them 3 years after they were kicked out is old news.

 

 Sorry....

 

 Rant over....

[Magz]

What pisses me off about this and the last government is that the problem is staring them in the face, immigration. Now before you deal the racist card against me, let me just say that not all immigrants are the same. I have the upmost admiration for the Pakistani communities who came here with nothing and worked long hard hours to get what they have today. What the gevernment needs to deal with is the free loaders who think it is their right to have housing and benifits handed to them even though they have never contributed to the social system. You see them in the towns centres near where I live in the lastest desginer clothes and latest mobile phones.

My mum still lives on the council estate that I grew up on. Lots of people there on benifits yet they all drive nice new cars etc. My mums neighbours are on the social yet the woman can afford to go to bingo 7 nights a week and get taxis to and from bingo. My mums a pensioner who gets her state pension and a small £40 per month pension from my late fathers work, so the housing association found out she gets this extra £40 a month and raised her rent by £40 a month. She has lived in the same house for 47 years but because she lives on her own and has a spare bedroom, the council are trying to force her out.

If this government wants to save money, why don't they stop giving billions on pounds in aid to countries that are no longer part of the commonwealth. Why don't they get out of Europe and stop paying billions of pounds in EU subsidy's and stop giving billions of pounds to bail out a failing euro. Time to shut the door on the freeloaders.

(rant over)

 

With or without immigration, and the real or perceived associated costs we'd still be in a situation where cuts would have to be made in the welfare budget. Wherever these cuts are made some sections of society will be disadvantaged. It's almost impossible to avoid this happening if you wish to make meaningful savings. In this case, these changes have also been coupled with proposals to change the requirements for non UK nationals which actually prevents the automatic claiming of benefits as described.

 

http://www.guardian....ts-uk-proposals

 

One (more drastic) way to avoid these issues altogether would be the option of leaving Europe. The idea being that we'd avoid having to contribute our share of the costs of the EU operation but be able to keep the foreign trade that we currently enjoy with the EU nations (around 50% of our foreign trade goes to the EU). This at best would be a pretty large gamble. If it failed, we'd be out say 40-50% of our foreign trade. Were that the result of leaving, we'd be somewhat out of pocket on the deal (our EU trade is around £12Bn per month). You can forget most welfare benefits and the NHS would no longer be affordable.

 

On the brighter side, that might not happen and we'd be up around £4.7Bn a year (the gap between what we pay in and what we receive back in EU subsidy payments and rebate). Nice. Only problem is that this assumes the other member states wouldn't put a bunch of tariffs on our trade to make their own companies more competitive / shut us out altogether. Well, maybe they'll play nice and not do that. They play fair, right?

 

For me, this is one gamble I'd really not want to take. The potential gain for the odds and potential loss just don't stack up. Mr Farage is right to criticise a whole raft of issues with the ways in which the EU operates. I also agree with a lot of what he says, but he's not, in my view, correct to insist that we leave the EU altogether so for that reason he'll not get my vote.