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Benefit cuts

worried | 28.12.2008 20:49 | Social Struggles

Benefit cuts

I know there are lots of worthy things going on but am surprised that no-one has commented on the benefit reforms especially the new conditions for single parents.Soon when a child reaches 1 the lone parents will have to work-if not they face having to work full time for their dole.This is terrible.No one on the left has said anything about this,
What do people think?Would anyone be interested in doing something about these changes?

worried

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now we know

30.12.2008 07:21

so no one thimks attacks on the poorest groups are worth commenting on?

worried

Yes it is an issue of concern

30.12.2008 19:41

This was posted on Notts Indymedia, but as it is likely to be of concern to people elsewhere (and is not specific to Notts) it has been moved to the UK / Social Struggles newswires, where I hope it will get the attention it deserves.

There have been concerns expressed by some charities:

Child Poverty Action Group chief executive, Kate Green, said: "The new bill should not reform an inadequate welfare state into an authoritarian welfare state. We need to create an active welfare state for the 21st century that empowers the powerless by breaking down barriers to work, increasing economic equality and enabling high-quality, self-directed skills development."

Charity group One Parent Families|Gingerbread has criticised the Government's decision to force single parents with children aged one and upwards to get job-ready or face benefit cuts as "unnecessary and inappropriate".

and even some MPs:

Labour MPs who campaign on behalf of trade unions in Parliament said opposing the welfare reforms will be one of their main priorities in the coming months.

John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) said: "The Government has got its priorities all wrong. It has allowed the bankers to get away with extravagant bonuses and yet is turning on the poorest and most vulnerable.

"It is lunacy to force people into jobs that are not there and to force lone parents to take-up childcare which is either unaffordable or non-existent.

... but it would be good to see ideas for direct resistance by those (ie everybody) effected by this. "...next they came for the single parents... etc"


IndyPat