Therese Coffey on removal of universal credit uplift

[bitchstewie]

What planet is she on where those who are the most in need of this support can simply ask to work a few more hours every week and be told "yes that's fine" every week?

Universal Credit: Cut is two hours extra work for claimants, says Therese Coffey

Every time she appears on the media it's an utter car crash.

[bitchstewie]

The point isn't simply whether the cut is justified at the same time as an increase in NI payments.

Thérèse Coffey accused of getting universal credit figures wrong

The point is the work and pensions secretary goes on TV and can't even get her numbers right.

[bitchstewie]

Gecko1978 said:

It's ok to make a choice to work to live and prioritise other things. But you can't expect society to subsidise that via enhanced benefit payment.

Almost all people have capacity to learn new skills but each person must decide themselves what they want. UC was a temporary up lift due to COVID like furlough. It's over now so back to normal.

I used to think very similarly but it isn't always the life choice it's made out to be.

Sometimes people have to look after family and sometimes people have circumstances that mean it isn't always as simple as just working 3 jobs for 20 hours a day.

I suspect most of the posters on this thread (myself included) are similar to Thérèse Coffey in that they probably haven't ever had to wonder where the next meal for them or their family is coming from.

Everyone says "just get a better job" but there's always going to be somebody at the bottom.

That's a reality for more people than I used to care to admit.

[bitchstewie]

Gecko1978 said:

I think the issue is we think about "a few extra hours" as a solution which won't be viable for many (if you have children for example). Which really means we have to make choices much earlier in life which is hard to do.

There is no 1 size fits all solution but the extra £20 a week was always temporary and people knew that. From what I gather the biggest factor in career stagnation statistically is having children outside of marriage or being a single parent. Circumstances mean what we end up with is not what we planned (partner dies etc) but for every case like that there are many more where planning and choices were poor. It's hard an unpleasant but it's also the truth. As a self employed person I am constantly thinking of next month Bill's, tax what can I do etc. Its just ingrained in my way of working and thinking. I could have a much more relaxed life but I chose a certain lifestyle just as most do.

Of course it's hard and unpleasant and there is no one size fits all solution but "just work more" and "learn a skill" isn't possible for everyone.

Take a trip around town or a supermarket or basically go on a tour of places with "minimum wage jobs you probably wouldn't want to do" and the reality is someone has to do them.

People want their lunchtime coffee or Amazon delivery or someone to serve them in the supermarket or at the click n collect.

Not everyone can simply up-skill and move on.

And temporary or not when you take money away from people and pile on a national insurance increase their reality is that they're going to be poorer and feel that.

For the work and pensions minister to not even know that it isn't as simple as "just doing a couple of extra hours" tells you all you need to know about how much of a fk Coffey gives about those people.

[bitchstewie]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I agree completely on the "not a career" part and I'm not belittling it at all but if you're waiting on tables or stocking supermarket shelves you're probably not getting paid very well for doing it so you'll feel this more than many other people will and you have a steady stream of people like on this thread telling you to simply up-skill or make more of yourself which isn't always possible or as simple as it's made to sound.

[bitchstewie]

Fast and Spurious said:

bhstewie said:

The point isn't simply whether the cut is justified at the same time as an increase in NI payments.

Thérèse Coffey accused of getting universal credit figures wrong

The point is the work and pensions secretary goes on TV and can't even get her numbers right.

Stop reading the Guardian pal, you won't get a sensible, balanced view there.

It's been laid out by multiple media and it was on the news this morning that it isn't two hours.

The newspaper doesn't change the maths

[bitchstewie]

Rivenink said:

It's weird how Johnson and Co (and all Governments) can waste untold £billions on vanity projects, contracts for their mates and all the other corrupt st they do. £12 billlion for Track and Trace, that was massively ineffective. MoD spaffings £billions on mismanaged projects by defence companies that run massively over-budget.

But an extra couple £billion a year paying £20 a week to UC claiments who have been means tested, and are in genuine need of public money is too much for some people.

Fiddling with the deck chairs while the proverbial ship sinks.

It's not weird it's their ideology.

[bitchstewie]

Do the UN usually get involved in this stuff?

‘Unconscionable’ universal credit cut breaks human rights law, says UN envoy

[bitchstewie]

Interesting to see Iain Duncan-Smith leading the Conservative revolt against the cut.

Universal credit cut will push 800,000 people into poverty, Boris Johnson warned

Obviously not a real Tory. Who knew?