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| Universal credit as the poll tax of our time | Universal credit as the poll tax of our time |
| (4 months later) | |
| Letters | |
| Tue 3 Oct 2017 18.26 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 16.00 GMT | |
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| While hitting a number of bullseyes, Matthew d’Ancona misses one by a mile when he argues (Only the shock therapy of truth can save May’s party, 2 October) that all the Tories need to do to be successful is to argue more persuasively the “proposition” that “free market policies generate the prosperity necessary to fund decent public services”. This proposition, repeated ad nauseam by the right, is a huge non-sequitur. The UK is already a prosperous country. Having “decent public services” is a political choice: it’s about the distribution of economic resources, primarily through appropriate taxation. How prosperous was the country between 1945 and 1948 when the government established free secondary education for all, the NHS, universal social security, family allowances, much social housing, etc?David AlfredBrighton | While hitting a number of bullseyes, Matthew d’Ancona misses one by a mile when he argues (Only the shock therapy of truth can save May’s party, 2 October) that all the Tories need to do to be successful is to argue more persuasively the “proposition” that “free market policies generate the prosperity necessary to fund decent public services”. This proposition, repeated ad nauseam by the right, is a huge non-sequitur. The UK is already a prosperous country. Having “decent public services” is a political choice: it’s about the distribution of economic resources, primarily through appropriate taxation. How prosperous was the country between 1945 and 1948 when the government established free secondary education for all, the NHS, universal social security, family allowances, much social housing, etc?David AlfredBrighton |
| • When the world was on the brink of financial meltdown in 2008 due to the reckless activity of the banks, Gordon Brown stopped the US and in effect other countries also from sliding into “isolationism”. For this he received not one but two standing ovations in the US Congress. Contrast this with Philip Hammond, the current chancellor who has advised anyone struggling financially under the government’s universal credit scheme to take out a loan to “tide them over”. When asked to explain his comment, he fell apart. | • When the world was on the brink of financial meltdown in 2008 due to the reckless activity of the banks, Gordon Brown stopped the US and in effect other countries also from sliding into “isolationism”. For this he received not one but two standing ovations in the US Congress. Contrast this with Philip Hammond, the current chancellor who has advised anyone struggling financially under the government’s universal credit scheme to take out a loan to “tide them over”. When asked to explain his comment, he fell apart. |
| The chancellor and the rest of the Tories are divorced from reality. Universal credit has left people visiting food banks and going into rent arrears, with no money on the horizon for six weeks or more. Don’t forget that almost two-thirds of those on benefits are “in work”. His solution for the lowest paid – those with the least access to income and the lowest credit rating – is to take out a loan. The loan sharks must be showing their pointy teeth in glee. Mike SandsNorwich | The chancellor and the rest of the Tories are divorced from reality. Universal credit has left people visiting food banks and going into rent arrears, with no money on the horizon for six weeks or more. Don’t forget that almost two-thirds of those on benefits are “in work”. His solution for the lowest paid – those with the least access to income and the lowest credit rating – is to take out a loan. The loan sharks must be showing their pointy teeth in glee. Mike SandsNorwich |
| • In addition to the problems with universal credit identified in “Critics’ concerns” (3 October) there is the impact on rent arrears in council housing. In Newcastle alone, of the 3,293 council house tenants in receipt of universal credit 2,532 are in arrears, which have risen by £1.3m since the new system was introduced as part of the national rollout of the policy. There is every indication that universal credit is rapidly becoming the poll tax of our time with, potentially, a similar political impact.Jeremy BeechamLabour, House of Lords | • In addition to the problems with universal credit identified in “Critics’ concerns” (3 October) there is the impact on rent arrears in council housing. In Newcastle alone, of the 3,293 council house tenants in receipt of universal credit 2,532 are in arrears, which have risen by £1.3m since the new system was introduced as part of the national rollout of the policy. There is every indication that universal credit is rapidly becoming the poll tax of our time with, potentially, a similar political impact.Jeremy BeechamLabour, House of Lords |
| • The way the universal credit system is being introduced is a blatant fraud on the part of the government. Delaying the payment until after the previous month’s earnings are known is reasonable, but it is enabling the government to reduce the benefits received in the year by 8% as benefitees will have received nine months’ payment under the old system and only two under the new. | • The way the universal credit system is being introduced is a blatant fraud on the part of the government. Delaying the payment until after the previous month’s earnings are known is reasonable, but it is enabling the government to reduce the benefits received in the year by 8% as benefitees will have received nine months’ payment under the old system and only two under the new. |
| The minister has now promised to make cash advances to those in need, but those advances will undoubtedly be recovered from subsequent entitlement. In October the former benefits should be paid with the new benefits being introduced in November based on October’s earnings.Brian Crews Beckenham, Kent | The minister has now promised to make cash advances to those in need, but those advances will undoubtedly be recovered from subsequent entitlement. In October the former benefits should be paid with the new benefits being introduced in November based on October’s earnings.Brian Crews Beckenham, Kent |
| • All applications/claims/disputes etc are dealt with strictly online only, which, for starters, makes the assumption that applicants are computer literate. How anyone in receipt of the basic jobseeker’s allowance of £73.10 a week can be expected to afford internet access at home (or even own a computer) is beyond me. | • All applications/claims/disputes etc are dealt with strictly online only, which, for starters, makes the assumption that applicants are computer literate. How anyone in receipt of the basic jobseeker’s allowance of £73.10 a week can be expected to afford internet access at home (or even own a computer) is beyond me. |
| Not having previously realised that universal credit is online only, more than once I have received the response “You can always use the computers at the jobcentre” which is utterly crass, and also makes the assumption that one is physically and financially able to travel to the jobcentre.Neil AnnatStratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire | Not having previously realised that universal credit is online only, more than once I have received the response “You can always use the computers at the jobcentre” which is utterly crass, and also makes the assumption that one is physically and financially able to travel to the jobcentre.Neil AnnatStratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire |
| • When David Gauke “refreshes the guidance” to DWP staff about advance payments of universal credit (Ministers press ahead in spite of Tory MPs’ fears, 3 October) can someone please remind him to change the automated message on the universal credit helpline that claimants are required to use to request an advance (0345 600 0723 – calls cost up to 40p a minute)? The current message makes no mention of the right to apply for a short-term advance, but it does tell the caller to hang up if they have been waiting for a payment for less than five weeks!Graham SharpMistely, Essex | • When David Gauke “refreshes the guidance” to DWP staff about advance payments of universal credit (Ministers press ahead in spite of Tory MPs’ fears, 3 October) can someone please remind him to change the automated message on the universal credit helpline that claimants are required to use to request an advance (0345 600 0723 – calls cost up to 40p a minute)? The current message makes no mention of the right to apply for a short-term advance, but it does tell the caller to hang up if they have been waiting for a payment for less than five weeks!Graham SharpMistely, Essex |
| • I am appalled to see each speaker at the Conservative conference standing in front of the conference slogan “Building a community that works for everyone” after years of Tory austerity that has severely limited every community service – our police, NHS, education, social care and so much more. Would not a truer slogan for this event be “A platitude a day keeps reality at bay”?Brian CollingridgeTaunton, Somerset | • I am appalled to see each speaker at the Conservative conference standing in front of the conference slogan “Building a community that works for everyone” after years of Tory austerity that has severely limited every community service – our police, NHS, education, social care and so much more. Would not a truer slogan for this event be “A platitude a day keeps reality at bay”?Brian CollingridgeTaunton, Somerset |
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