http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/budget-2015-george-osborne-to-axe-subsidies-for-higher-income-earners-in-social-housing-10366555.html George Osborne to axe subsidies for higher income earners in social housing Rent benefits to be scrapped for those on more than £30,000 It is not really clear from this article whether the £40k in London and the £30k elsewhere, is a "household income" (dad,mum,working children living at home) or an individual, (presumably the person in who's name the tenancy stands), income. In either case, will the "savings" from this measure be sufficient to cover the costs of the bureaucracy needed to manage the new measures and to monitor the ongoing "means testing" necessary to implement it? Again a knee jerk and ill tho ught out proposal from this wretched government, designed to be popular with some parts of society rather than to resolve an extremely complex problem of which hou...
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http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/07/universal-credit-waste-mps Universal credit scheme will waste at least £140m, say MPs, while some experts put the figure at nearer £300m. Iain Duncan-Smith And Iain Duncan-Smith will still not listen. A recalcitrant individual responsible for the continuing waste of tax payers money, but moreover the architect of a scheme inflicting pain and hardship upon hundreds of thousand of people in this country. His initials are synonymous with policies which have brought misery to millions and retrospective changes to law which have sought to perpetuate injustice and exploitation in the workplace. Changes introduced to cap benefits, re assessment of incapacity benefits, State Pension age changes, Workfare, ATOS assessment instructions, IDS is responsible for the conception and implementation of the most obnoxious legislation that this ConDem coalition or any other government since the 19th Century has introduced. Many...
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/05/david-cameron-24bn-universal-credit-problems David Cameron's £2.4bn universal credit project riddled with problems A poorly implemented scheme, born out of spite and malice and introduced by a government determined to demonise claimants of any benefits and divide society one against another. There is little if any likelihood of this ConDem coalition abandoning this odious policy, no matter what cost financial or social may be incurred. It is equally unlikely that a change of government in 2015 would be prepared to repeal this loathsome piece of legislation. It seems that when social division is the objective then the cost is one the government is prepared to accept.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/18/bedroom-tax-council-funds-homelessness-_n_3296933.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Devastating impact of 'bedroom tax' sees huge leap in demand for emergency hardship handouts Iain Duncan-Smith ; Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan-Smith invents a policy which, ultimately costs more than the problem it was supposed to solve. Nothing new there then. However, the policy has been exceedingly successful in one very crucial respect. It has exacerbated tensions and divisions within society and may have created even more. The comments section of this Huffington Post article is littered with bile and venom directed by contributors who need additional bedrooms against those who have "empty bedrooms", or people in receipt of benefits against those who are not, and even some other ramification "us and them" syndrome. The people of this country must realise that the enemy is not the person living next door...
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/01/iain-duncan-smith-petition-signed-by-13000_n_2992370.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Living rent free in £2million country home with at least FOUR spare bedrooms Iain Duncan Smith has little understanding of the real world. Is this loathsome person preparing for a bid to regain the position of leader of the Tory party? Iain Duncan Smith could live on £53 per week "if he had to". Another crass comment from one of the most reprehensible members of the government. In the current political climate, a potential leader of the Tory party has to demonstrate that he or she is infinitely more "nasty" than any other candidate. The Work and Pensions Secretary: Iain Duncan Smith The following text appeared in the Mirror News. "Iain Duncan Smith lives rent free in £2million country home with at least FOUR spare bedrooms Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is a tenant of...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/31/liberal-conservative-coalition-conservatives Coalition cuts and reforms take effect commencing today. David Cameron leaves No 10 A new world heaves into view this week with sweeping changes in the fields of welfare, justice, health and tax. Monday 1 April Bedroom tax introduced Thousands lose access to legal aid Council tax benefit passes into local control NHS commissioning changes for ever Regulation of financial industry changes Monday 8 April Benefit uprating begins Monday 15 April Welfare benefit cap 28 April Universal credit introduced The latest list of measures which vividly expose the determination of this government to drive people into submission and acceptance of “one way austerity”. The objectives of these latest controls are twofold. Firstly, to provide that the divisions within society betw...
http://money.uk.msn.com/socialvoices/were-having-the-wrong-debate-about-social-housing We need to set aside our anger at scroungers and calmly debate what’s best for our nation. Heather Frost and her family are only one aspect of a significantly larger problem. This is the first article that I have seen which gets anywhere near to being constructive about the real issues. Far too many articles, television stories and politicians and journalists are more interested in demonising all benefits claimants that actually addressing what should be done to tackle the social housing problem of this country.