Universal Credits- a new nightmare

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Rather nasty, Serkeen.
Maw was right. You said it was okay for your cousin to be on benefits for nearly two years but criticised the man you know - presumably someone you are supposed to be helping in your capacity as a volunteer?
That's not what volunteers are supposed to think about people they are working with.

Rather nasty durhamjen to get involved and take sides

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Hi was just looking at updates on this thread when an item came on BBC News about it and the six week wait. People interviewed were talking about having to go into debt because of the six week wait.
Can anyone fathom out why landlords are refusing to take people on Universal Credits as tenants. I can see there could be a problem for the first six weeks but not after.
Presumably working tax credits will still be part of the calculations.

I think the problem about rent was summed up by one poor chap on a news problem this morning. He was an alcoholic and he agreed that giving the rent in with the lump sum like a pay cheque was a good idea for some but he said he was just too vulnerable to be given the money. I do think there is a small proportion of the population but a larger proportion of those on UC who need help to get used to budgeting.

If you have just come out of a job it is probably no problem but sadly, they will get tarred with the same brush. A chap on this evening, in an area where UC have been introduced, was saying (this is from memory so may not be totally accurate) that he has served more eviction notices for none payment of rent in the last 18 months than he has in the last 20 years.

You in a bad mood, Serkeen?

Can you explain why it was okay for your cousin to be on benefits for two years, but not a man you know?
You didn't criticise her like you did him.

Shall I use the word offensive instead?
Or unpleasant?
Didn't need a dictionary; I taught English for long enough to know what nasty means.
It's an open thread on an open forum, and I am allowed to agree or disagree with who I want.

I've just been reading about a sixty four year old disabled woman who has failed her ESA medical and has been told to sign on daily. She was told by the assessor that it wasn't worth her while appealing.
She gets her pension next February.

What sort of world do the Tories want?
Why do people have to be punished for still being alive?

Dj, if you are a,lowed to agree or disagree with who you want then should you not allow this freedom of speech for other posters? I refer to your recent post post where you said - if posters criticises Corbyn I will criticise them

I was surprised by a woman interviewed yesterday who complained that being paid monthly meant problems buying fresh food, someone needs to explain she needs to budget for the month

We are indeed all free to agree or disagree anniebach and otherwise there would be no point to a discussion, but we don't usually tell others to "bugger off" , do we?

Budgeting for the month whilst laudable, can be challenging for some and especially if you haven't got much money in the first place, especially for unexpected expenditure. I would have expected a bit more Christian charity and understanding from you annie rather than such a harsh, unsympathetic response.

I'd be interested to know, Serkeen, why you sounded so derogatory about the guy who has been on benefits for two years without finding a job, yet you are sympathetic to your cousin who has been in a very similar situation?

Maryeliza, what rubbish, there is nothing unsympathetic in someone who has lived in poverty for years stating that budgeting is vitally important . Let me give you some examples

Reading your electric meter every night .

Freezing fresh veg .

Visiting fruit and veg farms and picking produce.

Growing veg , even in pots.

Sharing bath water .

Unexpended expenditure ? Oven needs repairing ? Cook on rings only until next pay day .

annie I do wish you would read my post properly. I did not say that budgeting wasn't important but that for some people it can be challenging. Some people for a variety of reasons may not have the emotional or mental capacity to cope so well and that as a Christian I am surprised that you are not more sympathetic to that undeniable truth. And receiving money weekly in that situation could be much more helpful to some people.

I can't understand why the system needs to go to monthly.
The system is the same; the money goes automatically into an account whether weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
There are still people in the world who are paid weekly and have been all their lives. Why can they not have the choice?
Why do people when moving onto the universal credit system have to wait for six weeks?
Surely they can change onto monthly within the four weeks. Even that is hard enough.
I would like to know if anyone has done an FOI request to find out how many people have been made homeless by this change.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-chosen-experiment-universal-credit-13678672

The system is being set up without any consideration or knowledge of the reality of some people's lives. I think people should be able to choose what period of payment suits them best.

"Mr Forbes, who is also leader of the Labour group in the Local Government Association, said: “We are the first whole city to be a pilot area for the rollout of Universal Credit.

“And if Universal Credit is rolled out in the same way as it’s affected my city, the country is in for a hell of a shock.

“Because we’ve found that the vast majority of people on Universal Credit in Newcastle are in rent arrears.

“And if the are in rent areas in the social rented sector then we can deal with that, because we can work with them and provide them with support.

“But if they are in rent arears of sometimes 16 to 18 weeks in the private rented sector, that is causing havoc with homelessness and making sure that people feel secure in their own homes.” "

From Nick Forbes article.

It's going to be rolled out in the whole of County Durham in November and December.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/policy/policy-research-topics/debt-and-money-policy-research/universal-credit-and-debt/

And here's some more evidence from a reputable source - it's also worth clicking in the link within the initial document which ncludes further evidence

I am very concerned for people in private lets, having to wait six weeks to start receiving their benefits must worried them sick.

Interesting list of reasons for people having problems.
Why is poor administration a reason? That assumes that the DWP haven't organised the system properly yet. They are using very vulnerable people as guinea pigs.
IDS has a lot to answer for.
Also the fact that people can't have bank accounts. What?
You can't have your UC because you haven't got a bank account set up?
Stupid people.

50p a minute to ring the Government helpline if you are having a problem with the ( probably non-) payment of your UC. I really would appreciate a suppprter of this government defend that and I'd like annie to explain how you could budget to be able to pay this.

But you will be very relieved to know that it's a freephone number if you want to report benefit fraud