Universal Credit: Households To Miss Out On Benefits Over Festive Season

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42036462

And

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42012116?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cyn9v8lnlzdt/benefits&link_location=live-reporting-story

Lets hope the Government pulls it finger out quickly......Xmas is an awful time to be short of money.

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds a dodgy process if things stop and one has to reapply based solely on the number of paydays that just happened to fall in a particular month. The system should be able to take such things into account and adjust accordingly. It's not like someone actually got an additional payment, just that the known regular one squeezed more than usual into the month by occuring both early and late in it.

[mikey4444]

OG....this is indicative of just what a shambles UC is.

They must have known that this was going to come up months ago, but its only now, 4 weeks before Xmas that they have woken up. Its ruddy disgraceful, and shows a complete lack of empathy with poorer people in our society....the Nasty Party never went away.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe if an applicant could opt for 12 monthly payments, or 13, 4 weekly payments, the issue wouldn't arise. But I'll bet someone would claim the extra effort would be too costly.

[Islay]

Mikey, perhaps is you stopped calling it the nasty party you may get some more sensible answers.
When the Labour party shoehorned in Tax Credits and set up this country to constantly lay out money to those that don't want to put in more than the minimal effort there were issues around Christmas too! However they through money at it and got a Computer program in that allow the system to do the extra payment but there were issues too because it would pay extra money too early.
What I am trying to say is that no matter what system comes in unless the government brings back pay offices and make people line up there is always going to be problems and there will always be a few losers.

[mikey4444]

Islay....but the Tories are in power now, and have been since 2010. They invented UC, and my point is that this situation with 5 pay days in a month should have been foreseen.

( by the way, "Nasty Party" wasn't invented by me.....guess who did coin the phrase ?....yes, Mrs May her self ! )

This telling quote comes from the first of my links above, and speak volumes about how much the Nasty Party really cares :::::

"The government defended the system, saying the majority were unaffected"

[Islay]

Did I say you invented it?
No but you throw it about to try and make a point!
UC was invented because there has to be a point where we move on from TC which was invented by the Labour party.
You cannot get away from the fact that the labour party thought it was acceptable to give money to those that don't work because they have families (sometimes lots of them), to the point now where there is no point in working because its more attractive and more money not too!
Until you have taken calls from people complaining that the £600 that they were given extra to see them through the Christmas season has already been spent and at 2pm on Xmas Eve they are demanding more!
£600? That's more than I spend on Christmas and I work for a living!!
So whilst I have some sympathy with those on UC because they are not all out to get what they can, most are and do get more than I earn!!

[mikey4444]

Islay....you seem to misunderstand this situation. The problem is with people who are working, but not earning enough. :::

"Those hit will be some of the 67,000 people who claim the benefit while working and who are paid weekly"

[Islay]

No I have not misunderstood the situation!
Some People on UC and TC very carefully ensure that any paid employment they take is under the threshold and therefore still entitle them the full benefits.
I have seen this Mikey hundreds of cases investigated and this is what they are doing.
So please don't tell me that I have misunderstood.

[mikey4444]

Islay...so why will these people's benefits be beggared about with over Xmas, if someone "very carefully ensures" ?

[youngmafbog]

We need to move away from a system of benefits, particularly now it has reached the point where it is just not practical to work.

I dont blame people for taking benefits when you can get more that way rather than working, you have to do the best for your family but the sooner we return to people having responsibility for themselves and their actions the better.

This so called 'mess' over Christmas is not the problem, the problem is the Welfare State is too big so no system will ever cope.

[mikey4444]

YMB....UC was invented by this Government, and the people who are affected by this 5 pay-dates-in-the-month are working, not dole bludgers.

Its the attitude of the DWP that I am concerned about
::::

"The government defended the system, saying the majority were unaffected"

UC is clearly not working properly, as most now acknowledge, Tories as well as others.

My point is that they should have seen this coming, but didn't.

[youngmafbog]

You dont seem to be taking on board anything Islay or myself have said.

Labour were no better BTW. Read your own article!

[mikey4444]

YMB....this isn't Labour's problem. They were last in power over 7 years ago. At some point, you and other Tory supporters are going to have to admit that, and start addressing the problem NOW, not keep blaming Labour.

[ummmm]

Mikey - do you think that all systems worked 100% before this?

[mikey4444]

Ummm....no, probably not. But the Government does't seem to be bothered, if they can say "majority were unaffected"

Let them eat cake then !

[ToraToraTora]

this is an error not policy so nothing to do with the governement.