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  1. #1
    DF VIP Member burner1's Avatar
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    Default Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Party joins forces with charities and senior figures in local government to warn about risk of more child poverty.


    Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is backing moves to tone down benefit cuts. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

    The government's flagship plan to cap benefits at £500 a week per family has been thrown into crisis after the Liberal Democrats broke coalition ranks to complain that the policy risks increasing child poverty and homelessness.

    In a move that suggests a more assertive approach by Nick Clegg's party, the Lib Dems have joined forces with leading charities and senior figures in local government to argue that a rigid cap could have a disastrous effect on families living in areas where the cost of housing is highest.

    Jenny Willott, the Lib Dems' welfare spokesperson, told the Observer that she was pushing ministers to make major changes to avoid throwing more children into poverty and adding to homelessness. "I am very concerned about the effect on child poverty," she said. "There are a number of possible changes that are being discussed, but at the moment I am certainly not happy with what is being proposed."

    Willott made clear she had Clegg's support and believed that ministers would amend their plans to ensure they pass through the Commons.

    She wants ministers to build more flexibility into the system – and to consider removing child benefit from the cap altogether. This, she argues, would help families with children in areas such as London who could end up paying £400 a week on housing, leaving just £100 to meet their other costs.

    The plan to impose a £500 cap was announced by the chancellor, George Osborne, at the Tory conference last autumn. But while the plans have proved popular with grassroots Conservatives, many charities and local government officials believe they are ill-conceived and rigid.

    Roger Harding, head of policy at the housing charity Shelter, told the welfare bill committee in the Commons last week that the housing benefit cap undermined the underlying principles of the welfare state. "Analysis at Shelter shows that much of the south-east will become unaffordable to three-children families because of the cap. For a typical family of two adults – with one or both working – and three children, if both parents lose their job they will suddenly face not receiving enough housing benefit to live not only in their town, but in their region."

    Government sources indicated that changes would be considered. "We can certainly look at transitional arrangements. We are not going to introduce anything that will make people suffer," said a source, adding that reforms were designed to bring greater fairness and the cap would be lifted as soon as those on benefits found work, creating a real incentive to find employment.

    >>Source<<


    --Jesus... £500 a week is £26K a year, in cash. IF someone getting this much benefit had to get as much money, if not more, working, they'd have to get a job over £30K taking tax/insurance into account. No wonder some people see it as a no brainer to stay on the dole.
    "An evil exists that threatens every man, woman, and child of this great nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our homeland." - Adolf Hitler, 1933

  2. #2
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    Mule's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Of all the things the lib dems have buckled on they choose this to stand against? £26k a year? FFS.

    For a typical family of two adults – with one or both working – and three children, if both parents lose their job they will suddenly face not receiving enough housing benefit to live not only in their town, but in their region
    Yeah, it's called life, move somewhere cheaper.

  3. #3
    DF Super Moderator {{909}}'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    fucking hell fire dick, 500 quid a week!

  4. #4
    DF VIP Member flumperino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Jesus wept. Battling the scroungers is the one decent thing that the coalition is doing....and that's the one thing they are thinking of backing down on. What is going on?

    Plus, if you need £26k (net) from the state to live, then you cannot afford kids and shouldn't be having them; and you sure as shit shouldn't be living in London.

    Note: only a certain percentage of people who claim benefits are actually 'scroungers'.

    Shooooooo-ryuken!

  5. #5
    DF VIP Member burner1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by flumperino View Post
    Jesus wept. Battling the scroungers is the one decent thing that the coalition is doing....and that's the one thing they are thinking of backing down on. What is going on?

    Plus, if you need £26k (net) from the state to live, then you cannot afford kids and shouldn't be having them; and you sure as shit shouldn't be living in London.

    Note: only a certain percentage of people who claim benefits are actually 'scroungers'.
    It's putting caps on benefits that can change things mate, so I agree it's crazy they're fighting this sort of issue. That's not the person on the streets fault to an extent, but a system that allows them to do it in the first place.

    I moved to a lower paid rented property when I changed jobs to one with a lower salary so I could afford paying rent and still have enough for everything else. If that's what the working man has to do, so should benefit claimants.
    "An evil exists that threatens every man, woman, and child of this great nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our homeland." - Adolf Hitler, 1933

  6. #6
    DF VIP Member flumperino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by burner1 View Post
    It's putting caps on benefits that can change things mate, so I agree it's crazy they're fighting this sort of issue. That's not the person on the streets fault to an extent, but a system that allows them to do it in the first place.

    I moved to a lower paid rented property when I changed jobs to one with a lower salary so I could afford paying rent and still have enough for everything else. If that's what the working man has to do, so should benefit claimants.
    Indeed. The sad fact is that any affects made to benefits will most likely affect the decent people who need them and make use of them for what they are intended....and its the fleecers that will still get away with robbing the taxpayer as they'll always find a way around caps and reductions and such.

    Whinging aside, I still think that the British benefit system is excellent, despite its flaws.

    Shooooooo-ryuken!

  7. #7
    DF VIP Member B.I.G.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Fuck me 4 ton a week on housing...now I know the house prices by me are probably a lot smaller than London but fuck me how much do people earn down there when the people on benefits are getting 1600 a month to pay rent.you'd struggle to get the 400 for the month here.

  8. #8
    DF VIP Member Zippeyrude's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by flumperino View Post
    Plus, if you need £26k (net) from the state to live
    yes and that is equivalent to about a £45,000 a year job after taxes, ni etc

    fucking madness

  9. #9
    DF VIP Member BBK's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by Mule View Post
    Yeah, it's called life, move somewhere cheaper.
    So, you live in Surrey. Where would you move to, because where I live in Surrey, there's no options for me realistically. Assuming the 2 child scenario, I'm looking at £1000 a month just on rent, £150 a month council tax, conservatively £100 a month on bills. Again, 2 kid scenario, if I really budget and buy cheap food I could maybe get away with £50 a week on food, so there's £200. So far I;m on £1450. Not taken into account clothing, travel, ancilliary costs. £2k could disappear very easily. Moving - where would I move to? The home counties all have the same issues, or I move myself out of my potential job market (which is London, simple as), away from my friends and family, take the children out of their schools etc. Moving isn't always practical, and can be incredibly expensive.

    Listen, no-one likes the idea of the state funding people LIVING on £500+ a week and not trying to get out there and work. The whole concept of people scrounging like that is incredibly distasteful, but I do think under certain circumstances that cap needs reviewing. Surely the best thing all round is to support people to get another job as quickly as possible, then get them out of the system completely?

    Agree with the points about Lib Dems not showing the right priorities!!

  10. #10
    DF VIP Member
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by BBK View Post
    or I move myself out of my potential job market (which is London, simple as)
    Only if you want to do the job that you feel you should be doing. There's lots of places you could live where 26k a year would easily cover living expenses.

  11. #11
    DF VIP Member blacksheep's Avatar
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    Default Re: Liberal Democrats in mutiny over benefit cap of £500 a week for families

    Quote Originally Posted by flumperino View Post
    J

    Note: only a certain percentage of people who claim benefits are actually 'scroungers'.

    It's a high percentage, but definitely a certain percentage

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