Warning! Big benefit payments shake-up: frequency and pay-day will change for most

alwaysonthego_2

KimYeovil wrote: »

Being on benefits does not mean you are !!!!!! or incompetent. You can manage your affairs if you like.

And if you choose not to manage things then you are used to regularly spending all your money the day you receive it. Living on nothing for six days is not significantly different from living on nothing for thirteen or twenty days.

There is no story. There is nothing to see here. Move along.

I disagree with you. I advice people on benefits and some people do really struggle through no fault of their own. I have seen client who have been left by their partner with lots of debt and are struggling to keep up with the large gas/electric bills and do not spend their money on booze etc. This will really have an impact on them.

seven-day-weekend

My husband receives his Incapacity Benefit every four weeks. Will this affect him in any way?

Need to know for budgeting purposes!

PhiltheBear

KimYeovil wrote: »

There is no story. There is nothing to see here. Move along.

That is possibly the most stupid post I've ever seen in my life.

Why? Because the Government's IT systems are crap - so I'm willing to bet that a vast number of people won't see any sort of warning letter. They'll just wake up one day to find their benefit hasn't turned up. Now, you try, without any money, to get in touch with the right person in order to a) find out what happened and b) get a loan and c) travel to pick up that loan - because you will have to do all 3.

And, if you are on JSA, you are almost certain not to have any money left at the end of a benefit period.

This is a major story. I hope that at least one of our daily papers picks it up.

W130SN

All those that get transfered to the new system please let us know how smoothly it goes. Also let us know if you had any problems with the loan.

I have been receiving incapacity benefit for the last 5 years , also claiming council tax benefit and housing benefit. They have constantly made errors in their payments and messed me around and mucked up my finances so I am concerned.

It always seems to me that those of us that actually need help are treated like fraudsters and liars and those that know how to play the system and commit fraud actually get away with it.

Widelats

Why should people only get a loan for the period they are being left without - Shold be a grant they are entitled to that money after all.

I have not recieved any letters ... yet.

richard9991

Rainbowend wrote: »

Can you tell me the official government web site this info came from, as I work with people who are on low incomes and on benefits and need more info.

Thanks

jobcentre plus

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Whatyoushouldknow/payday_changes/

The_Grim_Reaper

KimYeovil wrote: »

Being on benefits does not mean you are !!!!!! or incompetent.

True enough

KimYeovil wrote: »

... if you choose not to manage things then you are used to regularly spending all your money the day you receive it.

There are many different reasons why people spend what little money they have quickly, how do you come to such a conclusion?

KimYeovil wrote: »

Living on nothing for six days is not significantly different from living on nothing for thirteen or twenty days.

Are you speaking from experiance or is your maths really that bad?

KimYeovil wrote: »

There is no story. There is nothing to see here. Move along.

What a pity you didn't take your own advice Kim

some people!

MichelleMcD

W130SN wrote: »

All those that get transfered to the new system please let us know how smoothly it goes. Also let us know if you had any problems with the loan.

I found this forum while searching for advice on this change.

I had my last payment of income support on the 6th April and I am not due to sign on until 27th April. I was offered a loan of £84 to live on during this time Now wait for this the loan has to be paid back in 4 installments of £20 odd a week I received the loan payment by giro on the 9th April without any problem.

I was also told that my first sign on date was Easter Monday and any money will be automatically sent so will be waiting to see if anything is credited this week.

Does anyone know if income support was paid in advance or arrears?

The_Grim_Reaper

Would somebody please tell me why the government can't 'merge' the two systems.

It works like this, say your being paid (currently) fortnightly one week in advance one week in arrears. For this person you'd start the new system rolling one week previous than you would normally, so as to eliminate a gap in payments. Adjusting the starting point of the new system to each persons needs.
Yes, there would be an overlap in systems, but not in payments - and no gap in benefits received, so no hardship (not increased at least).

The only cost involved would be running two systems side by side during the changeover, peanuts to what's been given/lost to the banks, and there's plenty of labour out there at the moment

richard9991

The_Grim_Reaper wrote: »

Would somebody please tell me why the government can't 'merge' the two systems.

It works like this, say your being paid (currently) fortnightly one week in advance one week in arrears. For this person you'd start the new system rolling one week previous than you would normally, so as to eliminate a gap in payments. Adjusting the starting point of the new system to each persons needs.
Yes, there would be an overlap in systems, but not in payments - and no gap in benefits received, so no hardship (not increased at least).

The only cost involved would be running two systems side by side during the changeover, peanuts to what's been given/lost to the banks, and there's plenty of labour out there at the moment

it is not people who are being payed fortnightly that are changing it weekly payments changing to a minimum of fortnighttly most benefits are paid either weekly or fortnightly in arrerars.