Undercover Channel 4 Reporter Told That When Sanctioned, Claimants Have ‘Got To Suffer’
March 10, 2015
There were many terrible things about Universal Credit exposed on Channel 4’s Dispatches last night (9 March) but below, readers, is the line I will never forget.
The undercover reporter was told this in training:
It just sums it all up, doesn’t it? This can never be forgotten and must go viral.
I spotted the image above on Twitter.
Same Difference 
Indeed just like that summer of 41 rtu ids making all claiments suffer for being out of a job sick disabled mentaly ill it doesnt matter theyl
sanction you just so jeff3
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Reblogged this on lawrencerowntree.
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Reblogged this on sdbast.
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Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating and commented:
I missed Dispatches last night (9th March 2015) but caught up today with that episode.
There really needs to be a proper Court Of Accountability whilst MP’s & especially Ministers, are making claims of how things are truly running, and where they can be cross examined by being shown these examples of total breakdown & failure of the systems.
Questions have to be asked and ANSWERED by these public servants when instances such as were shown in that program need to be properly addressed without any spin or subfuscation.
Dispatches and other programs such as Benefits Britain, (aired Monday 9th March 2015) show how IDS’ UC is so hopelessly useless at dealing with even the simplest of cases.
The lad claiming as a single entity FAILED by the system and sanctioned for not attending one of those imaginary missed appointments he was only made aware of after the fact.
UC failed him.
The couple where the young girl on zero hour contract worked 15 mins overtime, yes, 15 fking minutes, so they stopped both her claim AND HER PARTNERS JSA CLAIM meaning they were left weeks without any support whatsover. Their available option was to stop living together so he could make a fresh JSA claim as a single person putting added pressure onto their relationship as she would have to move into another flat costing yet more money in rent & amenities.
WHY THE HELL COULDNT DWP JUST TAKE £1.60 from her UC top up or from the partners JSA amount? Its not rocket science is it! For the sake of 15 minutes overtime worth £1.60 (gross) at minimum wage, they were forced into further poverty for over a month and even faced possible eviction from their flat.
Fkin WELL DONE IAIN DUNCAN SMITH, you really are the most incompetent shit we’ve ever had in charge of the DWP.
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Reblogged this on John D Turner.
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A little bit of power corrupts, unfortunately these morons within the dwp have absolute power over the benefit claimants who need their support. Its frightening how civil servants can publicly talk about punishing fellow human beings who’s only crime is to fall on hard times and ask for support from a system they have paid into faithfully throughout their working lives.
To hear some guttersnipe talk about punishing our citizens turns my stomach. There but for the grace of god.
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NEW PENSIONERS ON AND FROM 6 APRIL 2016
Many of the lowest paid workers (men and women) are out of the state pension payout system, and this will hit the first people retiring from next year on and from 6 April 2016.
They are older than the women born from 1953 who lost state pension payout at 60 from 2013 (not able to retire til 2019 onwards) and men at 65 (raised retirement 1 year between 2013 and 2016 and then retirement age progressively gets older and older).
See who loses all or most of state pension, under my petition, in my WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT section, at:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/state-pension-at-60-now
PENSIONERS, PART TIME WORKERS, UNEMPLOYED, AND THE NEW PENSIONERS COMING AFTER 2016 – ALL GET HIT BY UNIVERSAL CREDIT
Right now Universal Credit only applies to people who are newly unemployed and living in certain areas of the country.
However, eventually Universal Credit will be brought in for everyone claiming the benefits and tax credits that are being replaced.
Read more at:
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/who-is-affected-by-universal-credit
TAX CREDITS AND UNIVERSAL CREDIT
Universal Credit is not just for people who are out of work.
If you’re getting tax credits or help with your rent, then you’ll be moved onto Universal Credit at some point between now and 2017.
Read more at:
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/who-is-affected-by-universal-credit
PENSION CREDIT AND UNIVERSAL CREDIT
Universal Credit might … affect you if you’re retired and getting Pension Credit.
As of 6th January 2014 anyone born before 6th March October 1952 qualifies for pension age benefits (Pension Credit and Housing Benefit / Council Tax Support for people of pension age).
Read more:
http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Changes-To-State-Pension-Age
UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND PENSION CREDIT AGE
If you reach Pension Credit age and your partner is under Pension Credit age, you might not be able to claim Pension Credit – you both might have to claim Universal Credit instead. The date for this change has not yet been announced.
Read more at:
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/who-is-affected-by-universal-credit
UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE
Universal Credit is gradually replacing Employment and Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, tax credits and a number of other benefits.
So if you make a claim for them, you may be asked to claim Universal Credit instead.
And if you’re already receiving them, you’ll be moved over to Universal Credit from 2016 onwards.
Read more at:
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/universal-credit-for-disabled-people
UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND INCOME BASED EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE
Income-based ESA (but not contribution-based ESA) will move to Universal Credit.
The claims process will be the same one used for ESA.
Under Universal Credit each household will make a claim,
rather than each individual.
It’s one payment, paid monthly and based on all your household’s circumstances.
Read more at:
http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-support/disability-benefits/universal-credit
UNIVERSAL CREDIT SANCTIONS HOUSING BENEFIT
Housing Benefit sanctions under Universal Credit (Housing Costs Element)
No longer will Housing Benefit be paid direct to landlord, but be inside your Universal Credit benefit given to you.
More at:
http://refuted.org.uk/2014/02/27/housingelementsanctions/
UNDER UNIVERSAL CREDIT THE HARDSHIP PAYMENTS BECOMES A RECOVERABLE LOAN
Hardship Payment assessments are far far meaner than JSA means testing
If you get income based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and get a benefit ban sanction, you can apply for non-recoverable Hardship Payments (HP).
However, under Universal Credit (UC), unlike JSA entitlement, all cash savings and liquid (liquefiable) assets and potential help from family and friends or others are taken into account.
Therefore, a Universal Credit benefit sanction can lead to loss of life savings.
At present no-one getting a Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Hardship Payment has to repay, but under Universal Credit the Department of Work and Pensions can recover it directly from benefits, through court imposed debt recovery and attachment of earned income.
Read More at:
http://refuted.org.uk/2014/02/12/meanerhardship/
PERMANENTLY SANCTONED UNDER UNIVERSAL CREDIT?
Universal Credit benefit sanctions to last indefinitely, not just 3 years
1) JSA and ESA sanctions
Under the current Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) sanctions regime the maximum benefit ban is 3 years (“156 weeks“) for failures to meet requirements.
Anyone sanctioned can apply for means tested reduced JSA called Hardship Payments. (HP). Under JSA and Employment Support Alowance (ESA) HP is not recoverable.
2) What about Hardship Payments (HP) and Universal Credit (UC)
All Hardship Payments under Universal Credit are recoverable, meaning they are treated like a debt by the DWP.
Therefore if someone gets a 3 year Universal Credit ban and applies and gets Hardship Payments, repayment can be made through Universal Credit.
Put more simply this means Universal Credit sanctions (aka reduced benefits) can effectively last far longer than 3 years.
Read more at:
http://refuted.org.uk/2014/01/27/ucbenefitsanctions/
CONCLUSION
There is a way to stop all this cruelty leading to penniless starvation for all ages, even babes in wombs of sanctioned mothers.
See how at:
http://www.anastasia-england.me.uk
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Reblogged this on Purple Headspace and commented:
I didn’t see this programme, so am reblogging with intention to remind me to watch it…
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