Universal credit: Should the temporary increase be kept for longer?

[Bromptonaut]

No, I am in favour of properly costed and implemented payments. I assume you are in favour of just paying out and out, £20 UC uplift indefinitely, unlimited furlough payments forever, £15 minimum wage?

No, furlough is a different kettle of fish; people get more after if finishes not less.

So is the long term objective of £15/hour. You were quite right about the effect on differentials when low pay is given a boost. A lot of the industrial strife in the seventies was because some phases of the anti inflation schemes of both Labour and the Tories gave underpinning cash awards to the low paid.

My point about the uplift is that there is a rationale for leaving it in place for now and 'building back better' on top. It's almost inconceivable, given the cumulative effect of benefit freezes down the years, that a review would find a civilized standard of life cost less than £96/week.

 

[Craig the cyclist]

will be taken by the claimant as a cut.

And that is unfortunate, but maybe those working with claimants should have been clearer the whole way through that the uplift was temporary. It is tricky, but if I gave you 10 widgets one week, then said for just next week you can have 11, but we are back to ten the week after, the third week will feel like a cut. It wasn't though, the middle week was one extra.

@AndyRM were you told at any point that the uplift was temporary?

 

[AndyRM]

And that is unfortunate, but maybe those working with claimants should have been clearer the whole way through that the uplift was temporary. It is tricky, but if I gave you 10 widgets one week, then said for just next week you can have 11, but we are back to ten the week after, the third week will feel like a cut. It wasn't though, the middle week was one extra.

@AndyRM were you told at any point that the uplift was temporary?

No, I wasn't. By any of the work coaches I've had. I was sent a message on my 'Journal' last month.

This is what it said:

"We introduced a temporary increase to Universal Credit payments in April 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This means you have been receiving up to an extra £20 a week (£86.67 a month).

This temporary increase to Universal Credit is ending soon for all claimants. Your payment on 17 September 2021 is the last time you will receive this extra amount.

Get help with managing your money in the 'How to manage your Universal Credit claim' guide: Help with debt and managing your money."

Which, frankly, is nonsense.

Coronavirus hasn't gone away, but because in England the government has gone all blasé about it they're ending the increased payment.

I'm unsure of the situation in other parts of the country.

 

[Deleted member 49]

And that is unfortunate, but maybe those working with claimants should have been clearer the whole way through that the uplift was temporary. It is tricky, but if I gave you 10 widgets one week, then said for just next week you can have 11, but we are back to ten the week after, the third week will feel like a cut. It wasn't though, the middle week was one extra.

@AndyRM were you told at any point that the uplift was temporary?

What a absolute load of shite...were talking 20 quid of some of the most vulnerable and needy people out there.So what if it' was temporary....it's brutal,make it permanent.Theres plenty of money when it's needed,just seems like not for the right things.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I understand about demonising groups, just didn't see where anyone was doing that, least of all the poster who used the term "scroungers".

Don't think it is an unpleasant trait confined to the right either.

It was a brief response to @Adam4868 quote.
But in the bigger picture of this thread where we're talking about £20/week for people on the breadline whilst The Blairs and the Phillip Greens save hundreds of thousands in Tax through Shell companies and loopholes, rob Pension funds etc. you have to wonder if the Govt. has it's focus in the right place.
Those suffering the cut should be taking to the streets....

I think Othering is more a tactic of the right and the populist rather than the left....

 

[BoldonLad]

It was only in response to @Adam4868 quote.
But in the overall context of this thread

It was a brief response to @Adam4868 quote.
But in the bigger picture of this thread where we're talking about £20/week for people on the breadline whilst The Blairs and the Phillip Greens save hundreds of thousands in Tax through Shell companies and loopholes, you have to wonder if the Govt. has it's focus in the right place.
Those suffering the cut should be taking to the streets....

I think Othering is more a tactic of the right and the populist rather than the left....

Couldn't agree more, re Blairs and Green. Not a supporter of "taking to the streets".

You are, naturally free to think that, I don't agree, but, such is life.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Couldn't agree more, re Blairs and Green. Not a supporter of "taking to the streets".

You are, naturally free to think that, I don't agree, but, such is life.

Unfortunately the poor will continued to be shat on until they do something about it. Politics doesn't seem to be working for them.

 

[Deleted member 49]

Couldn't agree more, re Blairs and Green. Not a supporter of "taking to the streets".

You are, naturally free to think that, I don't agree, but, such is life.

Poll tax riots...sometimes you can only be pushed so far down.Makes you wonder why the Tories are creating new anti protest laws.

 

[newfhouse]

Unfortunately the poor will continued to be shat on until they do something about it.

The real meaning of ‘trickle down’ economics.

 

[Craig the cyclist]

No, I wasn't. By any of the work coaches I've had. I was sent a message on my 'Journal' last month.

Just to be clear, in the last 18 months, until 1 month ago, you had absolutely no idea where this extra £20 or so a week had come from? Despite being on here, and joining in all the discussions, and it being on the news for 18 months as being temporary, and you accepting it for 18 months, you honestly had absolutely no idea at all why you were getting it?

Is that really what you are saying?

 

[Mr Celine]

I don't recall any justification for the 'uplift' in the first place.

In the absence of which I assumed it was because the tories were crapping themselves at the thought that all the new claimants resulting from covid job losses would discover that life on benefits was not the easy life that they like the media to portray.

 

[Deleted member 49]

Just to be clear, in the last 18 months, until 1 month ago, you had absolutely no idea where this extra £20 or so a week had come from? Despite being on here, and joining in all the discussions, and it being on the news for 18 months as being temporary, and you accepting it for 18 months, you honestly had absolutely no idea at all why you were getting it?

Is that really what you are saying?

Out of curiosity are you against keeping it purely because it was temporary or because you think it's not necessary ?

 

[Craig the cyclist]

Out of curiosity are you against keeping it purely because it was temporary or because you think it's not necessary ?

I think I have actually been pretty consistent that this temporary uplift should have been exactly that, temporary. As such it needs to come to an end, but an urgent review of it undertaken, and implemented in an orderly way. In case you are still in doubt of my position........

I am not in disagreement that the level of UC should be looked at,

I said though that the amount needs looking at didn't I?

The way to do that is through a properly funded, costed and logical way.

Once again, I agree the levels of benefits etc need looking at

No, I am in favour of properly costed and implemented payments.

I have said many times, the system needs changing quickly, but it can't just be done like this.

So change the amounts if the amounts are deemed to need changing, but do it in a planned way.

 

[Deleted member 49]

I think I have actually been pretty consistent that this temporary uplift should have been exactly that, temporary. As such it needs to come to an end, but an urgent review of it undertaken, and implemented in an orderly way. In case you are still in doubt of my position........







So change the amounts if the amounts are deemed to need changing, but do it in a planned way.

So if the goverment did ANOTHER u turn on a policy you'd think it was ok ?

 

[Craig the cyclist]

So if the goverment did ANOTHER u turn on a policy you'd think it was ok ?

And that is the problem.

If the government said they would keep the uplift, you would describe it as a humiliating u-turn, if they don't you will say they are heartless and callous.

Either way you get to slag off the government, win-win eh?