The Gov't continuing war on the most vulnerable continues,
Slipped into the budget was the announcement that
from April 2010, all long-term recipients of incapacity benefit will attend work capacity programmes.'
This is despite John Hutton when DWP Secretary promising the Works and Pensions Select Committee who were discussing the Welfare Reform Act that they had no plans to 'migrate' existing claimants.
Although it will take time and resources, (which the govt is not committing anyway) to process millions of claimants, ultimately, no matter how ill or disabled they are, many of the most vulnerable people in the U.K will have to face very invasive and brutal medical tests, loss of benefits and pushed into often unsuitable training and work.
With the Welfare Reform Act 2007, the Freud Review/ Welfare Green Paper, and now ‘Freud Redux’, plus others, the scope, speed and, yes, ferocity of welfare reform has been breath-taking. One can see the end of a rights based welfare system in the UK, coupled with a move to a privatised and minimal U.S model with only the big private training companies benefiting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2008/03/benefit_tests.html
Slipped into the budget was the announcement that
from April 2010, all long-term recipients of incapacity benefit will attend work capacity programmes.'
This is despite John Hutton when DWP Secretary promising the Works and Pensions Select Committee who were discussing the Welfare Reform Act that they had no plans to 'migrate' existing claimants.
Although it will take time and resources, (which the govt is not committing anyway) to process millions of claimants, ultimately, no matter how ill or disabled they are, many of the most vulnerable people in the U.K will have to face very invasive and brutal medical tests, loss of benefits and pushed into often unsuitable training and work.
With the Welfare Reform Act 2007, the Freud Review/ Welfare Green Paper, and now ‘Freud Redux’, plus others, the scope, speed and, yes, ferocity of welfare reform has been breath-taking. One can see the end of a rights based welfare system in the UK, coupled with a move to a privatised and minimal U.S model with only the big private training companies benefiting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2008/03/benefit_tests.html
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ib
13.03.2008 14:34
i'll sue em.
ha
Some nasties coming this year - mostly private companies complete PtW rollout
13.03.2008 15:47
And according to Dept of Work and Pensions press release: "Peter Hain announced a new medical test to assess work capability on 19 November (2007). The Work Capability Assessment will be introduced in October 2008 alongside the new Employment and Support Allowance for people claiming the new allowance. The Employment and Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefits from October 2008. "
Main point is we can't wait until 2010 to start fighting this!
Refs:
Pathways on track for national roll-out (DWP press release, Dec 2007):
Work Directions Ltd.:
The other Phase 1 Pathways to Work contractors appointed in September 2007 were A4e, Seetec Ltd, Shaw Trust, TNG Ltd, Triage Central Ltd. & Work Directions. According to DWP press release above, these contractors have been delivering Pathways in 15 Jobcentre Plus Districts since 3 December 2007. The organisations awarded the Phase II contracts in Dec 2007 were Carter & Carter Group plc, Instant Muscle Enterprise Limited, Reed in Partnership, Remploy, Royal British Legion Industries, Shaw Trust, TNG and Working Links, to deliver Pathways in the remaining 16 Jobcentre Plus districts from April 2008, completing the national rollout across Great Britain.
Nottingham Claimants Action
Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/ncajsa
I've been disabled
13.03.2008 15:57
Ged the peg