Insanity: One in three Brits still don’t know what Universal Credit actually is
[Illustration: Dave Brown.]
But the fact that a third of the UK’s population don’t seem to know what Universal Credit is, despite years of controversy about it that has kept it in the news since inception, shows the scale of the democratic problem here.
Too many people pay no attention to politics; many of them probably don’t even bother to vote.
But they are all affected when the government imposes changes.
It’s a self-defeating ignorance. People are deliberately running away from dealing with the facts, allowing (at the moment) the Conservatives to run roughshod over them.
Universal Credit harms benefit claimants – including working people on housing benefit.
And it also harms working people on low wages – and increasing proportion of the working population.
With the Tory plan to reduce the human rights of UK citizens after Brexit, by the time these changes really bite on enough of the population, they won’t have any legal way of doing anything about it.
They’ll be right up a certain creek without a paddle.
But never mind. Until then, these people are happy to bury their heads in the sand.
Research from financial comparison site Choose Wisely has uncovered continued uncertainty around Universal Credit in their latest research, with one in three Brits (33%) oblivious to what the flagship new benefits system actually is.
Worryingly, 17% thought Universal Credit was either a data plan allowing UK mobile data/credit to be used abroad or a form of digital currency.
The research went on to uncover uncertainty around the rollout of Universal Credit, the government scheme currently being brought in to replace some benefits and tax credits.
Researchers also found that two thirds (67%) of respondents agreed that Universal Credit payment gaps would leave them more vulnerable to debt, highlighting criticism in the media over payment delays, while just over 40% of Britons agreed that those eligible for Universal Credit would be worse off under the new system.
When asked how they would make up financial shortfalls, 25% of respondents said they were prepared to sell their belongings and 1 in 10 would apply for a payday or short-term loan.
23% agreed there was a lack of support available for those eligible for Universal Credit.
Source: 1 in 3 Brits still don’t know what Universal Credit actually is
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it doesn’t matter what benefit I don’t now what child benefit is called now but very many peoples had this Monday mornings I wonder would they like to be called before the jcp dwp hmmm
Worse, most people dont know an austerity has been going on and the targetting and deaths of vulnerable disabled and elderly and that is support organisations and charities, university students and enthusiastic protestors. or those who attend Corbyn rallies just for the thrill. Most dont know, dont care and that includes disabled and their close relatives unless it has seriously affected them directly.
I have this thing that disabled and their surrounding family and friends are DUMBED DOWN by social conventions and expectations and they play disabled and dumb too.
Ever so humble and grateful.
Steve Biko (Black South African activist, killed and beaten to death by SA police) said before the blacks could be liberated they had to liberate themselves first in their own minds, because many were acting and behaving and believing their social position and stereotypes. same I think with fellow females and disabled. Ever so humble, ever so grateful WOT RECESSION? WOT AUSTERITY? WOT SUFFERING AND DEATHS?
What chance have we got when there is such ignorance and apathy? Now wonder there are so many deaths not enough motivated