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Remember the Department for Work And Pensions’s mistake that meant I wasn’t paid Universal Credit because I didn’t reach a level of self-employed income I wasn’t expected to manage for a year?
The payment finally came through.
Eight days after it was due.
Eight days with no rent.
Eight days of uncertainty — while I waited for Universal Credit to fix an error of its own making.
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
Just click on the image, make your donation
and provide your details!
The DWP assures me that it has now corrected my claim, and I am told the system should behave itself for the rest of the “grace period” I was always supposed to have.
But that doesn’t undo what’s already happened.
The damage didn’t stop while I waited.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Life didn’t pause.
Bills didn’t wait.
And the result is that I’m now overdrawn at the bank — meaning I will be charged, simply for trying to build something independent while relying (briefly and reluctantly) on a system that’s meant to support people doing just that.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
If you’ve ever thought about supporting Vox Political — the journalism, the videos, the platform — now would be a particularly good time.
🧾 You can do it here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
The message from the system is clear: try to build something on your own initiative, and you’re on your own.
But the message from readers — from you — has been very different.
The support after my last article was incredible. It reminded me why this work matters.
Thank you for reading — and for continuing to help Vox Political stand up when the system would rather we all stayed silent.
— Mike
Share this post: [addtoany
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
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Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
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And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
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Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Universal Credit is eight days late – and a bank account is in the red
Share this post:
Remember the Department for Work And Pensions’s mistake that meant I wasn’t paid Universal Credit because I didn’t reach a level of self-employed income I wasn’t expected to manage for a year?
The payment finally came through.
Eight days after it was due.
Eight days with no rent.
Eight days of uncertainty — while I waited for Universal Credit to fix an error of its own making.
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
Just click on the image, make your donation
and provide your details!
The DWP assures me that it has now corrected my claim, and I am told the system should behave itself for the rest of the “grace period” I was always supposed to have.
But that doesn’t undo what’s already happened.
The damage didn’t stop while I waited.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Life didn’t pause.
Bills didn’t wait.
And the result is that I’m now overdrawn at the bank — meaning I will be charged, simply for trying to build something independent while relying (briefly and reluctantly) on a system that’s meant to support people doing just that.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
If you’ve ever thought about supporting Vox Political — the journalism, the videos, the platform — now would be a particularly good time.
🧾 You can do it here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
The message from the system is clear: try to build something on your own initiative, and you’re on your own.
But the message from readers — from you — has been very different.
The support after my last article was incredible. It reminded me why this work matters.
Thank you for reading — and for continuing to help Vox Political stand up when the system would rather we all stayed silent.
— Mike
Share this post: [addtoany
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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