[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

'Duncan Smith announces pilot scheme that could reduce number of benefit claimants being sanctioned

Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, has just told MPs that the government will start piloting a system to give people who face being sanctioned (losing benefits temporarily, because they have failed to comply with a condition) 14 days in which to provide information that will excuse their conduct and stop them having to lose money.'

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-politics-live

That's good news, I've known a lot of people that could have benefitted with this.

[Kizzy]

It was neatly slotted in there in among the 'did Gove make stories up about the queen' chatter

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

'Duncan Smith announces pilot scheme that could reduce number of benefit claimants being sanctioned

Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, has just told MPs that the government will start piloting a system to give people who face being sanctioned (losing benefits temporarily, because they have failed to comply with a condition) 14 days in which to provide information that will excuse their conduct and stop them having to lose money.'

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-politics-live

It's about time they introduced something like that... The number of sanctions reversed on appeal (I.e. As soon as someone actually properly looks at the circumstances with proof!) is absolutely huge. It makes much more sense to give people the opportunity to provide that information BEFORE the sanctions occur.

All too often people are sanctioned, have it reversed and fully back dated a few months later, but by that time they've already gotten into a total mess with unpaid bills / bank charges / payday loans etc.

[Kizzy]

The Commons could be forced into an emergency debate on disability benefit cuts after almost 100,000 people signed a petition condemning moves which will result in claimants losing Ł1,500 a year.

Conservative MPs are facing a backlash in their constituencies over plans to reduce payments under the employment and support allowance (ESA) to disabled people judged fit for “work-related activity”. The measure, which will save Ł1.4bn over four years and which has been condemned by charities, will mean weekly payments for new claimants being cut from Ł102.15 to Ł73.10 in April 2017.

A petition calling for a reversal of the cuts has been signed by 96,000. When it attracts 100,000 signatures, the issue has to be considered for a Commons debate.

The petition claims the reductions will “cripple those in receipt of these benefits, leaving many in poverty”. It claims: “Lives are at risk.”

Rossanna Trudgian, head of campaigns at Mencap, said: “The Government is clearly at odds with the public when it comes to cutting ESA. They have been told time and time again by experts and disabled people that the cut will push them further away from the job market.”


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a6933266.html

[Toy Soldier]

Forced into an emergency debate

Tories: "OK so we have to have a debate about this disability thing. Should we still do it?"

Other tories: "Obvz."

Everyone else: "NO!"

Tories: "Yeah OK so we're going to do it anyway. Debate over "

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Its never been about sorting the scroungers out, its been about punishing the poor for being poor and finding a headline grabber to keep people from talking about the real problems in this country. Its a ****ing disgrace. I remember posting on here once about a friend (not sure if I posted on here or DS) who was sanctioned for taking her kid to hospital and missing a jobcentre appointment, even though she rang them as soon as was possible to let them know what had happened.

Sanction targets are a disgrace. How can you set a target when the sanction is supposed to only apply to people who are taking the piss?

Heh, heres a new sanction story. One of our best friends was sanctioned around xmas time for not seeking work. Fair enough some will shout. But...he wasn't looking for work because he had a huge fire and lost everything, literally everything.

Spoiler:

When the DWP sanctioned my benefit for not actively seeking work after I lost all my computer equipment and my usb stick with all my cvs on in the house fire and all library's and the job centre was closed as it was Christmas holidays I appealed the decision and had the tribunal today and I won hands down go **** ya selfs DWP I hope it brings tears to ur eyes wen ur printing that giro bunch of wank splats.

His status about it^

Yes he comes across bitter and angry...can't blame him

He is employed again now and only just has his appeal tribunal. Which he won, obviously.

But seriously, this is ridiculous that these kinds of sanctions happen in the first place. I wonder how much the sanction 'targets' are rising each year. Still don't understand how you can have a target for something like this :S

[Kizzy]

Stories like that just make me so happy

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

'Duncan Smith announces pilot scheme that could reduce number of benefit claimants being sanctioned

Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, has just told MPs that the government will start piloting a system to give people who face being sanctioned (losing benefits temporarily, because they have failed to comply with a condition) 14 days in which to provide information that will excuse their conduct and stop them having to lose money.'

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-politics-live

Ahh just realized this was what bumped this thread as I have been reading through it since posting

Finally that twat does something right.

Should help a lot of people...mind in some sanction cases all thats needed is a bit of common sense. Even having another person look at a proposed sanction (not rubber stamping like what usually happens, actually look) would overturn a bunch of them

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Heh, heres a new sanction story. One of our best friends was sanctioned around xmas time for not seeking work. Fair enough some will shout. But...he wasn't looking for work because he had a huge fire and lost everything, literally everything.

Spoiler:

His status about it^

Yes he comes across bitter and angry...can't blame him

He is employed again now and only just has his appeal tribunal. Which he won, obviously.

But seriously, this is ridiculous that these kinds of sanctions happen in the first place. I wonder how much the sanction 'targets' are rising each year. Still don't understand how you can have a target for something like this :S

Good one in the end but obscene and wrong at the time the sanctioning took place.
You are right, there should be no setting of targets as to sanctions.

[Kizzy]

Chris Ship ✔ ‎@chrisshipitv
Democracy in action? We are being told we are not allowed to film the #PIPcuts protest which is currently going on in Central Lobby


BBC told to stop filming disability protest in the Commons

Broadcasters are normally allowed to film in parliament’s central lobby but the BBC’s Norman Smith was told to stop when the disability campaigners started their protests because the Commons authorities do not allow events like this to be filmed.

(One of the reasons for this it is felt that, if protests like this do get filmed, that only encourages campaigners to stage stunts of this kind.)

No, ministers trying to legislate to effectively further marginalise people encourages campaigners :/

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-politics-live

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Chris Ship ✔ ‎@chrisshipitv
Democracy in action? We are being told we are not allowed to film the #PIPcuts protest which is currently going on in Central Lobby


BBC told to stop filming disability protest in the Commons

Broadcasters are normally allowed to film in parliament’s central lobby but the BBC’s Norman Smith was told to stop when the disability campaigners started their protests because the Commons authorities do not allow events like this to be filmed.

(One of the reasons for this it is felt that, if protests like this do get filmed, that only encourages campaigners to stage stunts of this kind.)





No, ministers trying to legislate to effectively further marginalise people encourages campaigners :/

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-politics-live

So, they are demonstrating ŕgainst something that has already been thrown out.
The PIP cuts are dead in the water"..methinks a rethink is on the cards.

[Livia]

Protests held inside the Commons are never allowed to be filmed. I don't see why this one should simply because the protesters are disabled.

[waterhog]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

Good. Far too many people live off of the government when they could easily get a job and work for themselves. Makes a real mockery of the people who do genuinely need help.

if you are going by statistics - the people unemployed out of the population is minute.


but I agree - keep bashing the ones that don't work the few you can find that give the ones looking a bad name.

ps close your eyes at tax avoidance and all the rich hiding there money will is topple ling the amount you would save going after the unemployed.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Livia

Protests held inside the Commons are never allowed to be filmed. I don't see why this one should simply because the protesters are disabled.

I agree that they shouldn't get preferential treatment on the grounds of being disabled, but in my opinion, it's nonsensical and undemocratic that ANY protest "isn't allowed" to be filmed. No matter which way I look at it, it's selective reporting and misleading to "ignore" such events that are very much in the public interest. It's allowing people, in a supposed democracy, to cast their votes with only access to what "they" want us to see. To me, that's manipulation.

All that said, though, I too am slightly confused as to why they're protesting against the PIP cuts that it seems have already been scrapped. I can only think that this was planned beforehand, and they've decided to just go ahead with it anyway?