Tag Archives: poverty

Work & Pensions Secretary Describes Foodbanks as “Perfect” for Poverty

This shows Therese Coffey split screen with a foodbank donation

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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Tory Candidate Tells Foodbank Users To Take Out Payday Loan

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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Labour Pledge to Scrap Universal Credit AND The DWP

Jeremy Corbyn will tomorow announce that should Labour win a General Election, they will scrap the controvertial benefit Universal Credit as well as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). He will also pledge to end several other policies enacted by the Tories since 2010 that have led to the rise of poverty and inequality across the UK. Universal Credit

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UK Has Worst Rate of Pension Poverty in Europe

Pensioner looking worried with money

A new report has reveled that the pensioners in the United Kingdom suffer from the highest rate of “pensioner poverty” in Western Europe. The study shows that those eligible for the State Pension are FIVE times more likely to face financial hardship. This comes as Iain Duncan Smith’s think tank CSJ suggested the retirement age should increase to 75 by

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DWP Lists ‘Stripper’ as Appropriate Job for Claimants

DWP sign

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has come under fire after it listed “Striptease Artist” as an appropriate job-search term on its website. The role also desacribed an Astrologist as someone who “divines and tells fortunes by various machines”. The DWP has since taken down the entire section of its website after being questioned on why they listed ‘stripper’

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UN Report Brands Austerity as “Ideological, Harsh & Uncaring” Part 1

Professor Philip Alston of the UN

Today saw the long awaited report from United Nations Special Rapporteur for Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Professor Philip Alston. Alston visited the UK last November and was highly critical in his initial findings. The full report is damning about the Conservative’s use of austerity. Due to the length and content of the report, I’m breaking it down into a

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WATCH – Also In The News – Episode 1

Universal Credit Sufferer

This is episode 1 of my new podcast: Also In The News – #AITN. Many stories don’t get the coverage that they should from mainstream news outlets. That’s why I have decided to start Also In The News. This week I have chosen three areas to talk about. First I talk about the rise of In-work poverty and what has

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JrF: 10.7 MILLION people will be worse off on Universal Credit

Amber Rudd portrait and old man on sofa

A recent report by the think-tank Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JrF) has found that once the roll-out of Universal Credit is complete, 10.7 million people in “out of work families”, will be worse off. The report does say that 12.9 million in work, will benefit but, why are the most vulnerable taking the hit yet again? The recent report by JrF

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Stuart’s Diary – My lowest points on Universal Credit – WARNING

Mental health conception on white background

Stuart has written for the site before. He is on Universal Credit and I allow him to share his story in exactly his words. I don’t edit anything. The spelling and flow may sometimes be off but, in this article he is sharing some of his innermost thoughts he wrote at a real low point. Nothing at all has been

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DWP BAN staff referring claimants to foodbanks

Universal Credit Foodbank Universal Credit Sufferer

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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Latest data shows 16% of new Universal Credit Claims paid late

DWP - Department for Work and Pensions sign

An answer to a written question in the House of Lords has revealed that 16% of new Universal Credit claims still aren’t paid on time. The government also revealed that 6% of all claims aren’tbeing paid to claimant when they should. With the pilot of managed migration starting later in the year, not to mention the addition of mixed age

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DISGUSTING – Only 14 MPs bother to attend debate on UN Poverty Report

UN Poverty Report Philip Alston with empty house of commons

MPs from all parties yesterday showed that they’re not taking the issue of poverty seriously. as only 13 bothered to turn up to debate a scathing UN report. Yesterday evening was the first chance MPs had to debate the findings of the United Nations Report on Extreme Poverty & Human Rights in the UK and NI. Despite this, only 14

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My New Year Honours List

Having seen the absolute monstrosity that is this years New Years Honours list I have decided to put together a small one myself. I have included some people I think deserve recognition for the work they have done to help the vulnerable. It’s not exhaustive so as you can visit each one’s content. I recommend you follow them all if

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Honours system branded a farce as DWP employees get rewarded

DWP New Year Honours

The New Year’s Honours list was announced this week and as usual there are some questionable recipients. In what can only be seen as a slap in the face to the victims of austerity, 15 Members of the Department for Work and Pensions will receive a gong from the Queen. The DWP has been under intense pressure in 2018 over

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