Universal credit: Frank Field MP wants to hear your experiences

Weary_soul · 10 July 2018 at 12:14PM

Mr Field only has to look at the advisors posts on Righstnet to see what a bloody disaster UC is causing. Take your pick there's tons of cases/examples on there.

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/

If trained advisors are pulling their hair out over the implantation of this how are the general public meant to cope?

Also imo this is a disgrace. Is Mr Field aware of this?

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/charities-fail-to-tell-mps-about-clauses-that-prevent-them-attacking-mcvey-and-dwp/

Representatives of disability charities have given evidence to MPs about the impact of government social security reforms on disabled people, without disclosing that they signed contracts preventing them from attacking work and pensions secretary Esther McVey.

Senior figures from Shaw Trust and the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) both answered questions from members of the Commons work and pensions select committee yesterday (Thursday) about universal credit and the governments new Work and Health Programme.

But neither of them made any attempt to place on the public record that the contracts could be seen as preventing them criticising McVey or her Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the evidence session.

And the committee's chair, Frank Field, failed to ask the two witnesses to place on the record the existence of the contractual agreements, even though Disability News Service alerted the committee to the concerns two days before the evidence session.

fredandwilma · 10 July 2018 at 2:01PM

Weary_soul wrote: »

Mr Field only has to look at the advisors posts on Righstnet to see what a bloody disaster UC is causing. Take your pick there's tons of cases/examples on there.

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/

If trained advisors are pulling their hair out over the implantation of this how are the general public meant to cope?

Also imo this is a disgrace. Is Mr Field aware of this?

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/charities-fail-to-tell-mps-about-clauses-that-prevent-them-attacking-mcvey-and-dwp/

I was going to post the above links myself.

Representatives of disability charities have given evidence to MPs about the impact of government social security reforms on disabled people, without disclosing that they signed contracts preventing them from attacking work and pensions secretary Esther McVey.

Mr Field is aware of this:

And the committee!!!8217;s chair, Frank Field, failed to ask the two witnesses to place on the record the existence of the contractual agreements, even though Disability News Service alerted the committee to the concerns two days before the evidence session.

That's the point at which i realised this whole thread is a waste of time and therefore, a waste of my time..............

A word beginning with W and ending with H, comes to mind.

It's not only Welfare Rights Advisors, add DWP staff to the list.

Interestingly, I can't find anywhere on rightsnet to indicate they have dealt with case like those recently publicised in the media.

Yes, It looks as though there will be winners and losers with those who are able to work, the winners?

The losers are still arguably the most 'vulnerable' sector of society, people who live alone, with severe disabilities, and all the associated costs which arise from this.

It may come as a surprise to those who think that everyone has some capability to do some kind of work, but there are some people in soceity who genuinely are too ill to work, for various reasons, as much as they themselves, would like to work.

Edited to add - The answer to my question is - Who knows?

Esther McVey said that the changes will be made by the Universal Credit Managed Migration and Transitional Protection Regulations which they intend to bring forward, in the Autumn, so it seems that it will be a good while until clients who've already lost the sdp can claim any compensation?

Too late for me. I will have already had to naturally migrate. Any compensation is little compensation for the merry go round i'm about to board..............

It's ironic given i've no change in my health conditions, other than getting worse.

fredandwilma · 10 July 2018 at 2:36PM

Question for Frank Field

Why did you fail to ask the two witnesses to place on the record, the existence of the contractual agreements?:

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/charities-fail-to-tell-mps-about-clauses-that-prevent-them-attacking-mcvey-and-dwp/

Charities have signed agreements with the main contractors that say they must have “regard to the standing and reputation” of DWP, must do nothing to bring McVey and her department into disrepute in delivering those contracts, and must not “attract adverse publicity” to them.

MP's should be accountable for their actions?

Like i say, a word beginning with W and ending with H, comes to mind.

UKParliament · 11 July 2018 at 11:10AM

Thank you for taking the time to post your experiences. The debate on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions' handling of universal credit is expected to start at around 2pm today. You can watch live on Parliament TV or catch up what was said later with Hansard.

fredandwilma · 11 July 2018 at 5:24PM

Wow, that was underwhelming.

Did i miss something?

It's clear the government has no understanding or compassion for the most vulnerable in soceity. It's all about getting people in to work, work, work, with no support for the most vulnerable in soceity.

I found it strangely uncomfortable watching F F 'grovel' to E MV, if not also amusing, given i have been participating in this thread.

One wonders, what was the purpose of this thread?

At least i know where i stand and i am at least entering my plight with both eyes open. For that, I must need my head testing. Why upset stability?

I'll give you my views and experiences of food banks, in due course, when i don't have the income to pay for the 'essentials' in life, associated with having a roof over your head.

I hope you have a fabulous summer holiday, I hope your arm recovers soon, and i trust you may never need to use the services proved by the DWP, such as PIP and Universal Credit.

Ta-ra for now as i have a legal battle to fight,

Warm regards,

f&w

fredandwilma · 12 August 2018 at 9:04PM

Just an update on this thread although i doubt Frank Field or E MV are remotely interested.

The change to Universal Credit is even worse than i anticipated.

I am now receiving half the income i was on legacy benefits. Uc covers my 'housing benefit' costs (which aren't extortionate,) and little else.

Frequent visits to the Job Centre, frequent visits to my UC Journal and frequent job search updates / work coach updates.

No transitional protection, no automatic transfer from the 'Support Group' it would appear. No support at all to be ill. In fact, all the stress means i don't have chance to 'look after' my health and I'm likely to end up in hospital again. I did tell my work coach i wouldn't be able to access my online journal when i'm in hospital.

Yes, I will be using food banks to supplement my halved income.

My advice to anyone in a similar position. Don't believe the government when say no one will be worse off under Universal Credit. They have always said they aimed to cut the Severe Disability premium. They didn't say your income would be halved. Whilst there may be some who are better off under UC, it was never going to be the most vulnerable in soceity.

If you value your health and your sanity, keep away from UC for as long as you can.

Ames · 12 August 2018 at 10:20PM

fredandwilma wrote: »

Just an update on this thread although i doubt Frank Field or E MV are remotely interested.

The change to Universal Credit is even worse than i anticipated.

I am now receiving half the income i was on legacy benefits. Uc covers my 'housing benefit' costs (which aren't extortionate,) and little else.

Frequent visits to the Job Centre, frequent visits to my UC Journal and frequent job search updates / work coach updates.

No transitional protection, no automatic transfer from the 'Support Group' it would appear. No support at all to be ill. In fact, all the stress means i don't have chance to 'look after' my health and I'm likely to end up in hospital again. I did tell my work coach i wouldn't be able to access my online journal when i'm in hospital.

Yes, I will be using food banks to supplement my halved income.

My advice to anyone in a similar position. Don't believe the government when say no one will be worse off under Universal Credit. They have always said they aimed to cut the Severe Disability premium. They didn't say your income would be halved. Whilst there may be some who are better off under UC, it was never going to be the most vulnerable in soceity.

If you value your health and your sanity, keep away from UC for as long as you can.

Were you getting the SDP before moving to UC? If so, the government are planning to reinstate it so that anyone who lost it on transition gets it back. It will take time though as they need to pass it in parliament and they're on the summer break now.

calcotti · 12 August 2018 at 10:43PM

If you were in the ESA support group you are supposed to be treated in the same way on UC. If that has not happened you should challenge it. You should get the LCWRA element of £328.32/month added to your UC amount. You then also get a work allowance which means that if you have earnings some of them are ignored when calculating your UC payment.

You should be able to get the LCWRA element backdated to the start of your UC claim.

Obviously it is difficult to know what has happened because you have not said what caused you to change from a legacy benefit to UC.

fredandwilma · 13 August 2018 at 9:03AM

To be honest, the JCP staff didn't seem to know what they were doing and i heard them say, just enter it as a new claim. I haven't filled in the assessment form but it does look as though i have lost either the 'support' component or housing benefit. Coupled with the loss of the SDP, I've had a drop in income of six hundred pounds a month. I'd expected 200 but 600 means i can just about meet housing costs but there's little left to pay bills let alone eat, (there's always foodbanks)? or meet the extra costs which come with being 'disabled'.

I've little choice but to comply with my work coach or risk being sanctioned. They don't seem to understand the logistics of income, in any case. It's not their job. Their job is to make sure you are spending 35 hours a week searching for work.

I 'naturally migrated' to UC.

Would i take the same step again?

No

Regardless of whether all this is sorted out some time in a future i may not have, it's the impact in the here and now all this stress is having on my health.

poppy12345 · 13 August 2018 at 9:16AM

fredandwilma wrote: »

does look as though i have lost either the 'support' component or housing benefit. Coupled with the loss of the SDP, /QUOTE]
It seems like you're not sure which element you've lost. When you first claimed did you send a copy of your tenancy agreement? This will be needed to claim the housing element.

See post #28 regarding future plans for those that lost their SDP when moving to UC.

Universal credit: Frank Field MP wants to hear your experiences

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free