Looks like they have found away to stop the fuel tax rise!!!

[Kingofthedead4]

Millions to lose out as benefits are curbed
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/

Millions of benefit claimants are about to lose nearly £1 billion of increases planned for next year after the Government decided to break the historic link between inflation and welfare payments. The Times has learnt that key ministers, including Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, have agreed that 5.7 million people claiming benefits for the unemployed will each lose hundreds of pounds a year. The savings are likely to go towards the Government’s ambition to scrap the planned 3p-a-litre rise in petrol in January, which would cost £1.5 billion. George Osborne, the Chancellor, is anxious to keep to his deficit reduction plan and is said to be putting further pressure on Mr Duncan Smith’s £200 billion welfare budget. Charities claimed that vulnerable people, repeatedly hit by benefit cuts in the past 18 months, were at a tipping point.

This is on the front page of the times. Please god don't let it be true. According to what I have heard on the news the only one's who will be protected will be pensioners. I am just in shock how they can do this to millions of families who are already in desperate state.

[Hom3r]

Well I have Know people that have quit work as they were £50 a week better off on benefits.

They need to look at how much they pay some people as its more than the average wage.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

Well I have Know people that have quit work as they were £50 a week better off on benefits.

They need to look at how much they pay some people as its more than the average wage.

Yep i know someone who will not work because he says he is MUCH better of on the rock and role. Another friend will not do over time at certain times of the year as it affects his working tax credits ?

[Rob]

Why should benefits have to be index linked to inflation? My wage isn't linked to inflation. Over the last four years I've had one tiny pay rise of less than 1%.

[chris9991]

It's alright it's only poor people who are going to suffer

[Hom3r]

People still suffer under the current benefit system

What they need to do is stop these people who claim benefits they shouldn't and work at the same time, and take all the money back and not by a stupid £5, it should be far more say around £50-100. most of these work cash in had so will unlikely pay tax, and drive around in big/new cars.

[denphone]

Yes and its because of them who work on the side and and a certain minority of devious claimants that the vast majority of people on benefits are demonised by the media and then parts of our society read this and then form that their narrow minded opinions from that.

[Taf]

I bet the policy wouldn't have changed if inflation had suddenly (and magically) dipped last September as it used to.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

People still suffer under the current benefit system

What they need to do is stop these people who claim benefits they shouldn't and work at the same time, and take all the money back and not by a stupid £5, it should be far more say around £50-100. most of these work cash in had so will unlikely pay tax, and drive around in big/new cars.

I think anybody who deliberatly sets out to defraud the benefits sytem should have to pay every penny back when they get caught, not just a piffling fine. If that means they have to sell the people carrier and the 40" plasma set that's just tough. A strong deterrant like this would leave more in the pot for the really deserving.

[Angua]

One point slightly missed in all the outrage over loss of money for claimants is: - Not raising fuel costs helps towards keeping prices lower.

As for inflation linked increases - most of the working population would love such a thing but would rather keep our jobs and scrimp by. Have had ONE pay rise of 1.5% in 4 years.

[Kingofthedead4]

While I appreciate that lots of people on wages have not had a payrise there are some people like me who gets paid £207 every fortnight for me and my wife. Ok I dont pay council tax or housing benefit, but I do pay gas,electric,water,food,travel and other things. I can not walk but have been denied DLA because of a doctor's report who has not seen me, I am appealing so far its been 1 1/2years without being heard once. I have to use Taxi's to go anywhere. I leave the house 1 day a week because I can not afford to go out anymore and thats to town where I use shopmobility to go round. My father who is seventy two pays for our virgin. So tell me, with he cost of living going up and unable to work or get DLA which includes carers allowance, do I not deserve a raise?

[chris9991]

I suppose if they hand out less benefits to those entitled. They will spend less in the economy and then prices will have to fall and then they wont need so much in benefits.

Not that I expect prices to fall (especially on the essentials)

[RizzyKing]

So this is one of the new angles of attack on claimants is it take from them and stop a fuel rise which will slightly benefit those who already feel hostility towards claimants great way to play society off against the vulnerable. No one at the minute in this country is in a great position but doing this is not right and normally people wouldn't support it. If this gets support from the public we on benefits can really watch out because something far worse will be coming down the line.

I see this as the government seeing how well the anti benefit propaganda has worked and to see if they can get away with hitting the vulnerable without too much opposition from the general public.

[Anonymouse]

They might take a moment to remember that even benefit claimants are entitled to vote...at least they are at the moment. Forgive my cynicism, but I wouldn't be in the least surprised if that were to change at some point...say, before the next general election.

I'm on benefits, but I don't want to be. I'm tired of living hand to mouth. Dammit, I want a frakkin' job!!!

Ahem. I've managed to get onto a funded FLT training course (though there's still a £50 registration fee) which should start in a month or so; here's hoping.

[RizzyKing]

Good luck with your course hope it leads to something for you and i am the same would dearly love to get off benefit but i got as much chance as a bacon sarnie flying to me.