New Sanction Trap For UC Claimants With £250 Incentive For DWP Staff

The more that Tory governments do with regards to welfare benefits make it clear that welfare is not part of the process and punishment is becoming more and more its objective.

Rather than pay DWP staff incentives to do more, why not increase benefits for claimants, especially those who do get into work for a period of time, while they adjust to manage with work and assess any difficulties they could well experience.

Benefits should be there to help and not punish, the government needs to be educated, perhaps for the first time.

Same Difference

With many thanks to Benefits And Work.

Universal credit (UC) claimants are to be faced with a new sanction trap disguised as help to move into work. The scheme has been condemned by the DWP staff union who say the government is “hellbent on making it more difficult for people to claim benefits”, even though jobcentre workers stand to gain from a £250 ‘incentive’ if their office tops a league table.

UC sanctions are already at a record high. Over 98% of all sanctions are for failure to attend an interview, with over half a million claimants being sanctioned for this reason last year.

Yet, under the new Additional Jobcentre Support scheme claimants are being forced to attend  a jobcentre 10 times over a two week period.  In these obligatory sessions they will have “work search conversations” and “support sessions”. Missing a single session is likely to lead…

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Secret panel probe links between DWP & claimant deaths

I suppose we should welcome this secret panel, but in reality the panel should have been there since the Benefit scandals started to occur and it should not be secret, for this is truly in the ‘Public Interest’.

Lets do hope the panel will reach conclusions, conclusions that we already know and exact change immediately.

Whenever the reports are formed they need to be made public without delay.

Only one disability charity fully supports Jodey Whiting petition

Is this a surprise, for it should not be.

For some of the national charities do receive some form of Government funding and it has been suggested that theyreceive this funding to undertaken some specific work and in doing so they are required to sign a clause stipulating that they will not criticise the Government. For if they do, they may not receive the funding.

This is a dilemma for these charities as they would like the funding as this will enhance the charity funds and enable them to do more inaccordance with their aims.

But, if the Government is appearing to not fully support persons with disabilities these charities voices will be mooted.

Grandmother, 50, with terminal cancer left with £6 a week after benefits cut : i News

• Family say palliative nurse sent DWP note saying Denise is terminal
• Claim they appealed decision six weeks ago but have heard nothing
• Government is reviewing system for terminally ill benefits claimants
• A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help the mother-of-five

Denise Bates thought she’d pulled through her battle with ovarian cancerfour years ago.

But at Christmas time last year the 50-year-old became ill and was given the devastating news the disease was back.

The mother-of-five and grandmother-of-seven fell into a depression and took an attempted overdose on Boxing Day in anticipation of her scan results. Weeks later doctors told her there was nothing they could do.

Since then, Denise and her family have been trying to hold it together and make the best of the time she has left. She has told her consultant she doesn’t want to know how long that will likely be.

But 10 weeks ago she was dealt another blow. After a face-to-face assessment the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ruled that her disability benefit be stripped – leaving her struggling to pay her bills and next to nothing for food.

 

Source: Grandmother, 50, with terminal cancer left with £6 a week after benefits cut : i News

DWP using research data to snoop on claimants : Universal Credit Sufferer

EXCLUSIVE – The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is using data collected by a not-for-profit social research organisation to compare to its own records so as to snoop on benefit claimants. Claimants have raised fears that they will be targeted for giving poor responses to the survey. The DWP themselves refused to answer any questions about its partnership with the company.

NatCen Social Research is an independent not-for-profit social research organisation that undertakes research for a range of government bodies including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The organisation is contracted to deliver the Family Resources Survey (FRS) on behalf of DWP and Office for National Statistics (ONS).

According to the government website, the Family Resources Survey (FRS) is;

“An annual report that provides facts and figures about the incomes and living circumstances of households and families in the UK.”

The Family Resources Survey (FRS) is a continuous household survey published annually provide statistics on a household and individuals;

• Savings & Income from all sources
• Housing status
• Any caring needs and responsibilities
• Disabilities
• Pension participation

I became aware of NatCen Research after being contacted by several people who claimed they’d been harassed by the company’s researchers. They also raised fears that the DWP would be using their responses to snoop on them.

 

Source: DWP using research data to snoop on claimants

Universal Credit Sufferer

Sarah Newton’s Resignation is Nothing to Rejoice About : Universal Credit Sufferer

This evening saw the resignation of Minister for Disabled People, Sarah Newton MP. Unlike her colleagues, Newton resigned as she was voting against the wishes of the government. This is known as collective responsibility.

Collective responsibility applies to all Ministers in government. It requires that they all vote as agreed at Cabinet. Should they not, they are expected to resign their position.

This evening saw the government in chaos after an amendment to their motion on a no-deal Brexit was past. Rather than cryptic wording Theresa May had proposed, the amendment stated that Parliament rejects ANY type of no-deal Brexit.

Following this unexpected defeat Prime Minister Theresa May had to instruct her MPs to vote against their own motion. It was indicated to Tory MPs, that this was a three line whip. This means that MPs are expected to vote as directed or resign any position in government.

Amongst the confusion, a junior whip told senior Ministers that they would be allowed to abstain and keep their positions.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Business Secretary Greg Clark, Scottish Secretary David Mundell and Justice Secretary David Gauke abstained from the vote, as did energy minister Claire Perry, who also attends cabinet.

Rather than abstain, Sarah Newton chose to defy the whip and vote against the government. This resulted in her resigning her role as the Minister for Disabled People.

 

 

Source: Sarah Newton’s Resignation is Nothing to Rejoice About : Universal Credit Sufferer

Only 18% of households hit by the ‘cruel’ benefit cap are able to work : Welfare Weekly

The Government’s controversial benefit cap, which limits the amount a household can receive in state support, is unfairly and crudely penalising people who are too ill to work or are not expected to look for employment, an influential group of MPs has said today (Tuesday).

The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) found that 82% of households who are currently affected by the Benefit Cap “simply cannot escape it”, due to poor health or other circumstances.

In it’s new report, the WPC points out that only 18% of capped households have been assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as being capable and expected to look for work.

 

Source: Only 18% of households hit by the ‘cruel’ benefit cap are able to work : Welfare Weekly

Paralysed swine flu victim loses benefits despite spending 19 hours a day in bed – Mirror Online

A partially paralysed swine flu victim has lost her disability benefits despite spending 19 hours a day in bed.

Anna Yellop, 48, is in near constant pain and must take daily doses of morphine to cope with brain tissue scarring she suffered as a result of contracting the rare infection.

She has accused the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of “robbing her life”.

Her husband Andy, 47, has been told his carer’s allowance will also be stopped.

Anna said she “burst into tears” when she received a letter saying she does not qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) following a face-to-face assessment.

She said: “When I read the letter, I burst into tears straight away. I felt as if someone had just come and totally robbed me of everything – it isn’t just your money, it’s your life.

“The assessor came into my home and robbed me of my life.”

 

Source: Paralysed swine flu victim loses benefits despite spending 19 hours a day in bed – Mirror Online

Universal Credit Sufferer – SICK: DWP harass benefit claimants in hospital

A local council in London has called the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) “grotesque and unbelievable” after they discovered claimants are being visited whilst in hospital. One claimant who missed an appointment because on an operation was shocked when a jobcentre adviser arrived at their bedside.

It’s no secret that if you’re on Universal Credit you run the risk of a sanction at every turn. However, the one place you’d expect to be safe is in hospital.

Islington Council’s Policy and Performance Scrutiny Committee have reported that not to be the case. Furthermore the DWP have defended it.

Everyone get’s ill, it’s a fact of life. For those in a job, it would involve a quick call to your employer. If you had been admitted to hospital there’d certainly be no problem.

It appears however that if you’re a Universal Credit claimant admitted to hospital, your word is worthless.

Since June 2018, Islington Council has been tracking the roll-out of the under fire benefit so as to understand how it can ease pressure on residents on it.

They found that claimants who’d already told their work coach they were in hospital, ended up with a jobcentre staff member at their bedside.

A DWP spokesperson defended the practice saying

“Jobcentre staff occasionally conduct hospital visits to confirm people’s bank account or rent details. This ensures we can pay their full benefits on time.”

Nowhere is safe

The government claim that Universal Credit is designed to reflect working life in the UK. Last time I checked, an employer had no right to question how ill you are, especially if you are a hospital inpatient.

 

Source: Universal Credit Sufferer – SICK: DWP harass benefit claimants in hospital

Universal Credit staff vote to strike after being treated with ‘utter contempt’ : Welfare Weekly

Universal Credit call handlers working at centres in Wolverhampton and Walsall have overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action, accussing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of treating them with “utter contempt”.

A ballot of PCS members working for the DWP on it’s troubled scheme was announced earlier this month, warning of “severe under investment, staff shortages and criticism from claimants on how they are treated”.

It means that around 274 call handlers who work at the two offices will walk out for 48 hours starting on 11th March, after 90% of those balloted by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union backed industrial action.

 

Source: Universal Credit staff vote to strike after being treated with ‘utter contempt’ : Welfare Weekly