Yesterday saw Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, attack the United Nations Children’s Charity; UNICEF for pledging £25,000 to help feed children in South London. Mr Rees-Mogg called the action a “political stunt” after being challenged on why the UN aid agency’s new £700,000 fund to help community groups in the United Kingdom should even be required. While
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Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey MP has caused outrage after stating that foodbanks are the “perfect way to try and marry the challenges that people do face in difficult times in the life.” The already unpopular head of the Department and Work and Pensions (DWP) Coffey, was responding to a question from new Labour MP, Zarah Sultana at Work
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The Conservative Candidate for Broxtowe has come under heavy criticism after footage emerged in which he blamed foodbank users woes on their lack of budgeting skills. He then offered up what he thought was a solution; that they take out a payday loan to buy food. Former RAF Logistics Officer Darren Henry is the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Broxtowe. He
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A comprehensive three year study by National Foodbank charity Trussell Trust and Heriot Watt University has been released today. Titled; The State of Hunger, it gives an insight to what has been driving the massive increase in foodbank use across the UK. It is clear from the report that there is one main reason; benefits. 86% of those surveyed were
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National foodbank charity The Trussell Trust have released their end of year statistics for the period April 2018 to March 2019. They show that the number of food parcels they gave out rose by 19% to nearly 1.6 million. Just under 500,000 of those were for children. The main reason for this rise? Benefits not covering living costs. Earlier this
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Details have emerged showing that The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a hostile new policy regarding foodbank referrals. In an email, a Jobcentre Plus (JCP) Manager revealed that no paper referral forms will be given to claimants from now on. Instead, they’ll be sent to other agencies to get help. The shocking new policy was first revealed exclusively
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Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has caused outrage by suggesting that women on Universal Credit who’ve been driven to prostitution should get a job. Ms McVey was responding to a point raised by the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, Frank Field MP. The former Labour MP who is currently sitting as an Independent, shared a shocking consequence
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National foodbank charity The Trussell Trust have released their latest study on the effect Universal Credit has had foodbank referrals and other poverty factors in the UK. The comprehensive study is damning for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as it shows that the new benefit is directly to blame for the rise in foodbank use. More worryingly it
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Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey used her Conservative Party conference speech to announce that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are to fund Citizens Advice to provide Universal Support from 2019. Universal Support provides advice and assistance to help claimants manage their Universal Credit claim and offers other services like budgeting advice and IT training. Ms McVey’s announcement
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Foodbanks and Universal Credit are never far from the headlines. Usually it’s report blasting the government’s flagship welfare policy or the latest figures showing that foodbank use has rocketed. Like her previous poems Nicola Tiffin is explaining current events through poetry and this one covers the entire debacle of Universal Credit and foodbanks in a nutshell. Please share if you
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So foodbanks have been appearing in the news almost daily of late. Now Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey has announced the Department for Work and pensions – DWP are going to waste £217,000 on researching IF their policies have contributed to the rise in foodbank use. As if they don’t already know the answer.
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A response from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request,shows staff jobcentres are told to destroy evidence of foodbank referrals and stipulate; “it is not to be used for any other purpose, including to count/monitor the number of signposting slips issued” I came across this FOI on the website WhatDoTheyKnow, a website that
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The Department for Work and Pensions have this week told me that despite my six-month-old son having major surgery in October, I must still search and be available for work. The Department for Work and Pensions – DWP have this week told me that despite my youngest son having major surgery on his skull, I must still be
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Following an Freedom of Information – FOI request I submitted to the Department for Work and Pensions – DWP, in mid June, I can now report on their reply. It’s well, astounding and likely another lie.
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