Rudd admits Universal Credit caused rise in food bank use – but she won’t do anything about it

[Image from Twitter].

I would welcome this admission from the Work and Pensions Secretary if it meant anything, but it doesn’t.

The DWP has already refused to change its assessments and sanctions regimes, and the changes it has made to payments are cosmetic. In fact, they will create more debt.

The problem does not lie in the fact that we have a bad benefit system, you see.

The problem is that we have a bad Conservative government that very much enjoys the poverty and misery that its bad benefit system has caused.

Amber Rudd says the increased use of food banks is partly down to problems in rolling out universal credit.

The work and pensions secretary said she was “absolutely clear there were challenges with the initial roll-out” of the benefit and that the difficulty in accessing money was “one of the causes” of the rise.

Source: Amber Rudd links universal credit to rise in food bank use – BBC News


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No Comments

  1. Jeffrey Davies February 12, 2019 at 7:06 am - Reply

    Only following orders was the days command yet aktion t4 rolls along without much of a ado even the boss states it’s coming along doing whots on the tin culling the stock through benefits denial even abusing them first by starving them out dehousing the list is endless the horrors they bestow on the peasants while they gloat about how it’s working hmmm

  2. nmac064 February 12, 2019 at 9:08 am - Reply

    The evidence is so overwhelming that this woman has no choice but to admit the facts.

  3. Dik February 12, 2019 at 6:02 pm - Reply

    It looks like they are doing something about it though Mike as you posted about here:
    https://voxpoliticalonline.com/2019/02/07/tories-have-banned-job-centres-from-referring-claimants-to-food-banks/

    I assume the plan is something like ” Oh no, we have to slow down foodbank bad news. Lets just stop sending starving people to them directly, then it’s not our fault”

  4. Pat Sheehan February 12, 2019 at 11:23 pm - Reply

    Shamefully and tragically a large part of the electorate very much enjoys the poverty and misery that this government and the one before have caused: many of them are dearly beloved aunties, old grannies and the like: they don’t look like your stereotypical fascist or psycho.
    The ‘government’ we have today is a hideous representation of those voters thoughts and ideology: a reflection of their tastes: a manifestation of all that those tory voters live and work and strive for: and well entrenched due to that huge support.
    We will not ‘shift’ this shameful government or the next until such time as we can shift those shameful, self-centered perspectives that exist and thrive today in our communities, wreaking such havoc on those with failing health and those less able!

  5. John Costello February 13, 2019 at 3:19 pm - Reply

    It is interesting to note that the subject of Universal Credit and foodbank use was raised in the House of Commons today by Heidi Allen, Conservative MP, while Jeremy Corbyn wasted his questions on the contract awarded to the shipping company without any ships.

    John Costello
    Activist for ‘We Are Shadows’

    • Mike Sivier February 14, 2019 at 11:45 am - Reply

      Is that right? Ms Allen, who sheds crocodile tears for the vulnerable and then votes to strip them of everything including their lives, spoke about that?

      Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn discussed the facts that the Tories would rather spray huge amounts of money up the wall (including on Chris Grayling’s ministerial salary) than actually do something useful like help people.

      And you want to criticise Corbyn?

  6. Rik February 14, 2019 at 11:57 am - Reply

    was “one of the causes” “aye” to that . . UC has cost bi££ions plus mi££ions (maybe billions) written off…. A very good job Mr IDS you deserve a Knighthood ‘-) does anyone know how much the Govt has saved with this austerity ??

    • MARK BEVIS February 16, 2019 at 12:56 pm - Reply

      Saved with austerity? It’s a minus sum, ie, it has cost more in enforcement than it has saved. Thats just the benefits system. When you add in the damage to the economy overall, it’s even worse. Even groups like the World Bank and the IMF (hardly supporters of socialism) have condemned austerity as being bad for the economy.

  7. MARK BEVIS February 16, 2019 at 12:53 pm - Reply

    Got my next water bill today (United Utilities), a telling comment on the “”We’re here to help” page 8 of their snazzy little booklet. At the bottom:

    “Help with Universal Credit: we can delay your water bill payments for up to eight weeks until your first Universal Credit payment arrives.”

    “Simply visit unitedutilities.com/difficulty-paying-bill and complete our online form or call us on 0800-072-6765.”

    So even the privatised companies are beginning to recognise the perils of UC. Might be worth a feature article to get the news out there?

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