More than £13bn in benefits is going unclaimed
Vulnerable people are missing out on an astonishing £13.23 billion of benefits. The total includes over £2 billion in unclaimed benefits for jobseekers, and more than £3 billion for pensioners.
The figures were revealed in an answer that employment minister Priti Patel (pictured) gave to a question in Parliament – which highlighted that 45 per cent of people who are currently out of work aren’t claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance – so more than £2.5 billion is going unclaimed.
The largest unclaimed benefit is Housing Benefit – of which £4 billion isn’t taken up by people who qualify – followed by Pension Credit and Income Support. At the moment slightly more than one-third of people who are entitled to Pension Credit are not claiming it.
These figures do not include unclaimed tax credits, or Council Tax benefit – so the total will actually be even higher.
The enormous complexity of the system is playing a part. Someone who has lost their job doesn’t automatically receive the help they are entitled to: they need to know which of the complex web of benefits they could get – and how to apply for them.
The second issue is pride. This is particularly common among pensioners, many of whom have never claimed a penny in benefits throughout their working lives, and don’t want to start now.
Third is embarrassment. The demononisation of benefits claimants in Parliament and the media means people are too ashamed to claim the help they need – and to which they are perfectly entitled.
Source: Over £13bn in benefits goes unclaimed – AOL Money UK
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That is why Giddiot needs to make 12billion in “savings”.
He’s just realised that IDS’s UC (Universal Cockup) will pay all these unclaimed benefits by default once everyone is signed up (I know, I know, stop laughing at the back… IDS is stupid enough to force it live for everyone even if it doesn’t work properly)… that additional 13Billion has to be clawed back somehow.
So added to the 13.8Billion the full roll out will cost (it was 12Billion, but its going to cost more now), it will cost another 13Billion a year in benefits people would otherwise not have claimed.
I think Giddiot has just gone “oh bugger – IDS you moron your UC is going to put my projectsion 13billion a year wrong”.
Mind you, the likes of Speye, myself, and others, have been pointing this out for nearly as long as UC has been under-way, so feck knows why its only just occurred to Giddiot.
If you think that UC will actually pay out more in benefits, you obviously haven’t read the small print………
More than £13bn in benefits is going unclaimed
Bloody Hell! That’s a Tory nightmare, they are “supposed” to be saving £12 billion [whilst wasting over £8 million on advertising a cookie monster].
UC, it’s only fair that those in need get what they deserve, IDS looks after the poor and he’s making sure that they get what they deserve, the claimant count has to be reduced before UC comes into full force or George would be most upset if they had to fund this as well.
It is indeed only fair that those in need get what they deserve – but there is nothing fair about Iain Duncan Smith or his DWP.
The Gentleman Ranker, as we know him, certainly does NOT look after the poor. In fact, it appears he is responsible for many deaths but has worked hard to cover them up.
His policies are reducing the claimant count by eliminating people.
It was 13 billion, it is probably a big fat zero now IDS has raided the pot for UC, Maximus, and other “work related” shambles.
No wonder George needs to get that money back.
its about time the govt realised that Dr Death is an embarrassment to them,with the money he’s squandered on Universal Cock-up.