SOME of us may be used to the Tories ignoring expert advice and evidence on a regular basis but we must never forget how severe the consequences are because of their stubborn recklessness.
Trussell Trust have reported seeing a 17% increase in foodbank usage in areas of full Universal Credit roll-out, more than double the national average.
Before the general election the DWP Committee in Westminster heard evidence of claimants waiting longer than 12 weeks for their first payments, claimants struggling to adapt to receiving single monthly payments, and an increase in rent arrears and debt.
Figures published by the DWP show that around one in four new claimants wait longer than six weeks to be paid. That is a staggering 25% failure rate and is completely unacceptable.
I cannot even give the Tories the benefit of the doubt because the way in which they have rolled out this system is completely opposed to their stated intention of making Universal Credit mirror a salary. Anyone would consider it unacceptable to wait five weeks for their salary – and yet this is what the UK Government are making claimants do.
On top of this, the Tories said that their welfare reform was designed to incentivise work as much as possible. However, their cut to the Work Allowance means that people on Universal Credit in work will have their overall benefit cut quicker.
This is because a working claimant’s UC award reduces at a lower income threshold.
The refusal to halt the roll-out is nothing more than arrogance from the Tories, who are wedded to their ideological flagship welfare reform despite the misery it is causing.
I am now on my fifth Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The previous four secretaries ignored swathes of evidence from MPs, stakeholders and charities that Universal Credit waiting times and delays is pushing people into debt and poverty.
I had hoped the new Secretary of State would finally listen, but instead we have a penny-pinching announcement about tweaks to advanced payments and continued wilful ignorance in the face of a mountain of evidence that people are suffering.
I am tired of listening to sanctimonious Conservative speeches hailing Universal Credit whilst deliberately and knowingly ignoring the hard realities of what they are doing to people’s lives.
On Wednesday Labour used their opposition day to call on the Government to publish “any briefing papers or analysis provided to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since January 8, 2018, on the impact of the roll out of Universal Credit on recipients’ household income and on benefits debts”.
This motion was defeated by 299 to 279. Not only have the experts privately told them the truth of the damage they are doing, but experts, MPs, and constituents themselves have very publicly told them of the damage they are doing. No one can plead ignorance any longer.
This makes their arrogance all the worse when they claim it is the Scottish Government’s responsibility to plug all the holes that they decide to gouge out. During 2016/17, a total of 229,920 applications to the Scottish Welfare Fund were received. These included 67,480 applications for Community Care Grants and 164,970 applications for Crisis Grants.
Since the Scottish Welfare Fund scheme began in April 2013, more than 254,000 individual households have been helped, with awards totalling £132.6 million to March 31, 2017.
The Scottish Government wrote to the UK Government calling for an immediate halt to the roll-out of Universal Credit back in March 2017, raising urgent concerns over how Universal Credit is pushing more people into hardship and debt.
The Secretary of State did not respond directly and instead sent a five-page report extolling the virtues of Universal Credit.
IT is worth noting the good work of the Scottish Government in making the system better where possible with the little control they have. Scottish recipients have a choice of more frequent payments and for the housing element to be paid direct to all landlords.
Eligible people will be offered the new UC choices through their UC online account. It will be offered following their first UC payment. Existing claimants will be offered the UC choices, and the Scottish Government are working with the DWP to agree when existing UC recipients will also have the option of requesting the Scottish flexibilities.
I would say that we live in a democracy and should therefore demonstrate how opposed we are to these kind of policies by voting against it, however, the sad reality is that Scotland did. Repeatedly.
Once again, I find myself reaching the same conclusion as I do with most political issues – if only Scotland was not subject to laws set by governments elected by the rest of the UK. If only Scotland did not have to waste millions of pounds trying to protect its citizens from policies they did not support. If only Scotland was not continually ignored and overruled at every turn by a Parliament that has never treated us as an equal partner.
If only Scotland was independent.
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