Unemployment is a challenge. This blog looks at what is happening around the country and some solutions. You are not alone These are personal thoughts- Consultancy undertaken through benefits2work.com & http://jobsearchagent.co.uk/ 07963 137094
Tuesday 29 April 2014
Growth in GDP and Food Banks at the same time
The mystery of the diversity of our economy is that as the growth occurs so does the demand on the Food Banks.The figures speak for themselves as does the need. So if you are wondering if you are alone in the need you are not.
A politically interesting time
Tuesday 15 April 2014
Food Banks and Welfare Reforms
The BBC article highlights a massive issue.
Food Banks require referral. Referral from places like Job Centre Plus advisers.
Therefore by definition there is a clear link between Sanctions, delays in payments and the increase in the use of the Food Bank
The recent series of " Benefit Street " highlighted the use of the Food Bank. Its use.
There is an argument that the Food Bank is one of the fastest growing chain of support in the U.K. Or to put it another way, If the Food Bank was a business that you could invest in it would attract interest from the City. An irony of the Social Reform situation.
"A food bank charity says it has handed out 913,000 food parcels in the last year, up from 347,000 the year before.
The Trussell Trust said a third were given to repeat visitors but that there was a "shocking" 51% rise in clients to established food banks. It said benefit payment delays were the main cause.
In a letter to ministers, more than 500 clergy say the increase is "terrible".
The government said there was no evidence of a link between welfare reforms and the use of food banks.
However, the Trussell Trust, the largest food bank provider in the UK, said benefits payments had been a particular problem since welfare changes were introduced just over a year ago.
Some 83% of food banks reported that benefits sanctions - when payments are temporarily stopped - had resulted in more people being referred for emergency food.
And more than 30% of visits were put down to a delay in welfare payments.
The second biggest reason, given by 20% of food bank users, was low income.
"In the last year, we've seen things get worse, rather than better, for many people on low incomes," said Chris Mould, chairman of the Trussell Trust.
In all, 913,000 people received three days of emergency food supplies in the past 12 months.
But more than a third of those cases represented repeat visits. Some of the increase was also down to extra food banks opening.
Andy, a 47 year-old unemployed electrician, applied for jobseeker's allowance (JSA) a week ago, but has not heard when the money will come through.
In the meantime, he has been referred to a food bank near his home in Hackney in north London.
"If I didn't come here, there wouldn't be any food for me tonight. It's the system. But I don't understand why there's a gap," he told the BBC.
Andy was sent away with two shopping bags of pasta, rice, vegetables, biscuits and juice.
The clergy from all major dominations, who include Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan and several senior Church of England bishops, describe the increase in the use of Trussell Trust food banks as "terrible", in a letter to the government.
They insist it does not give a full picture of hunger in the UK because it does not include people who are too ashamed to use food banks and others who are cutting the size of meals.
They called on ministers to co-operate with an inquiry into the causes of hunger, led by the Bishop of Truro Tim Thornton.
A public vigil will be held on Wednesday night in Westminster to highlight the issue.
Paperwork
The government denies that welfare payments are a problem.
"There is no robust evidence that welfare reforms or benefit administration are linked to increased use of food banks," said a spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
She also maintained that the amount of time taken to process payments had improved.
Some 92% of payments were now made within the target time of 16 days, a 6% improvement on the time taken five years ago, she told the BBC.
But an additional problem since April 2013 has been the abolition of DWP-funded crisis loans, designed to cover short-term emergencies.
Responsibility for these loans has been devolved to local authorities, which can make them harder to access.
Short-term advances, as they are known, are still available through job centres for people awaiting benefit payments. But many claimants - including Andy - are not always made aware of them.
Other people have their payments stopped, sometimes because they have missed an appointment, or have lost paperwork.
"We're often surprised by the length of sanctions people get," said Liza Cucco, the manager of the Hackney food bank.
"If someone is late for an appointment, I'm not sure it's reasonable to block their payments for four to six weeks,"
Wednesday 19 March 2014
Budget and Unemployment News
The ONS figures for employment and the labour market
Encouraging signs The average weekly wage in the U.K has gone up by 1.3% and is now around £451
For those on minimum wage this may be significant
As the Welfare Spending was announced the media featured the following-
Budget 2014: Welfare spending cap set at £119.5bn in 2015-16
The welfare cap is expected to include spending on housing benefit
UK spending on welfare is to be capped at £119.5bn for 2015-2016, Chancellor George Osborne has announced.
The basic state pension and some unemployment benefits will be excluded from the cap.
The limit on total welfare spending will be set by the chancellor at the beginning of each parliament.
If the limit is breached, the chancellor will have to explain why, and a vote would be held in Parliament.
"Britain should always be proud of having a welfare system that helps those most in need," Mr Osborne said.
"But never again should we allow its costs to spiral out of control and its incentives to become so distorted that it pays not to work."
Pension credits, severe disablement allowance, incapacity benefits, child benefit, maternity and paternity pay and universal credit will all be within the scope of the cap.
( those on Universal Credit will include those on Working Family Tax Credit)
( those on Universal Credit will include those on Working Family Tax Credit)
Housing benefit, apart from the benefit linked to Jobseeker's allowance, will also be capped.
The cap will include spending on the Employment and Support allowance, but not spending on Jobseeker's allowance.Though Universal Credit is now replacing benefits
The £119.5bn cap will rise, in line with forecast inflation, to £126.7bn in 2018-19.
"In future, any government that wants to spend more on benefits will have to be honest with the public about the costs, need the approval of Parliament, and will be held to account by this permanent cap on welfare," Mr Osborne added.
Labour has already said it will introduce a three-year cap on welfare spending if elected in 2015.
The conservative View
The conservative View
Tuesday 4 March 2014
Hungry Britain - Panorama
Bristol Food banks and stats are striking.7 Food Banks in Bristol. 43 Tonnes of food distributed
Chris Mould's comments are notable as are the comments from the Bishops letter.
The Food Banks are referral based as pointed out in the film. Note the mention of the Loan Shark
If you have been sanctioned then you may not get money for 3 months.
The Sanction is at least 1 month on JSA
It is easy to see why the demand 875.000 Sanctions were applied. This is a significant figure
With nearly 400 Sanctions over turned each day
The Grantham Job centre showing the savings on this film is clear.
But even those working are struggling as you can see on the film
Steve and Lisa are examples of success even though
This is survival Britain
Thursday 20 February 2014
end-hunger-fast-date
End hunger fast in Britain. There has been a growing campaign to show solidarity. Join the National day of fasting on April 4th
cjss.org,benefits2work.com and onthedole.com are keen to support.
Forty-three Christian leaders, including 27 Anglican bishops, have signed a letter urging David Cameron to ensure people get enough to eat
No one should go hungry in Britain however hospital admissions have seen a rise in malnutritons in the last year.
But people receive benefits you say?
indeed but the Sanction system can stop you obtaining money if you fail to attend an appointment FOR ANY REASON.
If you take into consideration recent weather conditions that is frightening................
The rise in the use of the Food Banks indicates their value in todays society.
Te recent series Benefit Street highlighted their importance but also indicated that the users had to qualify themselves
As a donor rather than a user i believe that all of this in a recovering country says something about our values
Wednesday 19 February 2014
Self employment boost
Self Employment is seeing a boost The number of self-employed people in the UK has reached a record high of 4.4 million, according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics The rise is self employment and different stories
Wednesday 5 February 2014
Mentoring can make a difference
Mentoring can make a difference
Levi was mentored from Dragons Den. Here is his background story. His plans for the future
How it worked after 6 months
Levi talks about the business plan and his direction.
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