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

[Deleted member 49]

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?

I don't need any excuses to slag this government off...I don't give two fecks if it's a u turn or if it's humiliating for them.Ask yourself why you begrudge people help when they need it.
If it's purely on a point of principle because it was temporary it's pretty sad to me.

 

[newfhouse]

I may have asked this before…

What is the cost, in misery and long term social spending requirements, of removing the £20 uplift? I would be surprised if it makes sense even in narrow financial terms.

 

[AndyRM]

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?

Yes.

I had been employed until February 2020, and was made redundant.

I had no experience of the UC system before that and I don't consume mainstream news.

I knew I was on the minimum amount, and that was absolutely fine with me.

So, no, I had no idea that there was a top up to it.

£20 a week makes a lot of difference to a lot of people.

 

[mudsticks]

But at the same time there are MPs who will say they struggle on their 82K salary.

They will continuously award themselves pay rises.

While simultaneously voting to take a £20 from the poorest.

It says so much about our society, that many will think that's fair.

Almost as if some people deserve to be poor, that society requires some people to be living in poverty.

What is this attitude, I don't get it.

Apart from it just being horrible for people especially children to be living in dire need, and storing up problems for the future it leads to all sorts of problems that blight the rest of society.

 

[Craig the cyclist]

They will continuously award themselves pay rises.

They don't, the pay is set by an independent body.

But at the same time there are MPs who will say they struggle on their 82K salary.

That is the media headline, but what he actually said was why would people take big pay cuts to be an MP? He was pointing out that £82,000, while a lot of money, is less than a lot company directors, GPs, barristers etc who may stand for parliament. A GP may have to take a £20,000 a year pay cut, which unless you are independently wealthy, is unsustainable. I wouldn't reduce my salary by 20%, or even more, to be an MP, would you?

 

[Deleted member 49]

They don't, the pay is set by an independent body.


That is the media headline, but what he actually said was why would people take big pay cuts to be an MP? He was pointing out that £82,000, while a lot of money, is less than a lot company directors, GPs, barristers etc who may stand for parliament. A GP may have to take a £20,000 a year pay cut, which unless you are independently wealthy, is unsustainable. I wouldn't reduce my salary by 20%, or even more, to be an MP, would you?

I'd reduce mine and I earn feck all....says it all you support cutting 20 quid UC,but cut your own salary nah

 

[Craig the cyclist]

I'd reduce mine and I earn feck all....says it all you support cutting 20 quid UC,but cut your own salary nah

Well, we have a solution to our own issue. Just set up a standing order for £20 to @AndyRM and equilibrium will be restored.

If I had worked for 30 years to get to the top of my game, and be paid £120,000 to do it, I certainly wouldn't take a £40k pay cut to be an MP. Would you?

 

[Craig the cyclist]

says it all you support cutting 20 quid UC

And once more, it isn't a bloody cut.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Well, we have a solution to our own issue. Just set up a standing order for £20 to @AndyRM and equilibrium will be restored.

If I had worked for 30 years to get to the top of my game, and be paid £120,000 to do it, I certainly wouldn't take a £40k pay cut to be an MP. Would you?

And if declared, i.e. done legally, how much of that £20 would he see?

 

[Craig the cyclist]

And if declared, i.e. done legally, how much of that £20 would he see?

£35.8878,998,.873.87hg?

 

[BoldonLad]

And if declared, i.e. done legally, how much of that £20 would he see?

Excellent point.

We need a benefit system which provides a smooth taper as benefits decrease, and (earned, or other) income increases. It must be an incredibly difficult task however, since no Politician from any of the main parties has come near achieving it, since 1947.

 

[Mr Celine]

And if declared, i.e. done legally, how much of that £20 would he see?

All of it. Charitable and voluntary payments are disregarded.

 

[swansonj]

...

If I had worked for 30 years to get to the top of my game, and be paid £120,000 to do it, I certainly wouldn't take a £40k pay cut to be an MP. Would you?

There are multiple examples even just in Cyclchat of people who have progressed reasonably well in reasonably well-paid professions then decided to spend the second portion of their working life doing something different, more directly useful to society, and less well paid.

So yes.

 

[mudsticks]

They don't, the pay is set by an independent body.


That is the media headline, but what he actually said was why would people take big pay cuts to be an MP? He was pointing out that £82,000, while a lot of money, is less than a lot company directors, GPs, barristers etc who may stand for parliament. A GP may have to take a £20,000 a year pay cut, which unless you are independently wealthy, is unsustainable. I wouldn't reduce my salary by 20%, or even more, to be an MP, would you?

If my salary was already in excess of what I needed, yes I would.

Many people don't earn anything like that , I don't.

Personally I think we need more people from more 'ordinary' modest incomed background s in Parliament.

Well, we have a solution to our own issue. Just set up a standing order for £20 to @AndyRM and equilibrium will be restored.

If I had worked for 30 years to get to the top of my game, and be paid £120,000 to do it, I certainly wouldn't take a £40k pay cut to be an MP. Would you?

I'd see becoming an MP as a public service , and an honour.

And an interesting , worthwhile task, where I was trying to change things for the better.

I'd need to be paid enough to live on yes.

But I wouldn't feel financial renumeration was a big part of the reward .

I probably have quite a modest income by a lot of peoples standards.

But I have a working environment , and a job satisfaction rating which compensates.

As part of my 'service to the community' I do a lot of unpaid union, advocacy, campaign and advice work.

I've just spent three hours with a group of people looking to do what I do for a living.

Giving them the benefit of my knowledge, and experience.

I could have charged them a fairly big fat hourly fee for that consultancy.

But I asked them to give a donation to a charity instead. As I don't really personally need that money right now.

Generally you get back what you give out.

All this probably sounds like a whole bunch of piety, or virtue signalling, or 'goody two shoes' or summat.

But I don't actually be think the way I operate is really so unusual.

Plenty of people take a 'service to the society that supports them' attitude to life.

It just gets a bit sneered at right now, as 'suspicious' in some way

I'm sure you do valuable work too.

 

[BoldonLad]

....

Generally you get back what you give out.

All this probably sounds like a whole bunch of piety, or virtue signalling, or 'goody two shoes' or summat.

But I don't actually be think the way I operate is really so unusual.

Plenty of people take a 'service to the society that supports them' attitude to life.

It just gets a bit sneered at right now, as 'suspicious' in some way

I'm sure you do valuable work too.

Very true. Doing voluntary work which helps people is immensely rewarding (not in the material sense), in my experience.