Make up for benefit cuts by working 200 more hours, government says

[super jumbe]

The Department for Work and Pensions has admitted that people will see cash losses to their in-work benefits under the new universal credit system and suggested they could make up for it by working an extra 200 hours a year.

In a new document on universal credit, published after parliament has broken up for Christmas, the department said people could “recoup the loss” caused by lower in-work benefits from April 2016 by taking on an extra three or four hours of work a week at the new “national living wage” of ?7.20 an hour.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/dec/21/universal-credit-benefit-cuts-work-allowance

[Meat-Head]

Went to a company the other day to do some shop lifting, locked door, rung bell
some form of dwarf answered it, not able to understand what she on about, went iinside the
cleaners all jabbering in polish, wish had know would have got more mud on my boots, fresh clean floor

[rds60h]

Went to a company the other day to do some shop lifting, locked door, rung bell
some form of dwarf answered it, not able to understand what she on about, went iinside the
cleaners all jabbering in polish, wish had know would have got more mud on my boots, fresh clean floor

Sounds like the Council office round my way !

[GastonJ]

See that was always going to be the answer. Really I'm surprised that they haven't lowered the minimum wage and got rid of the WTD, which I believe is the target. Work for ?1 an hour sweeping chimney's 20 hours a day, 7 days a week. Good old Dickension Tory and Liberal ethics. Ah the good old days.

[rds60h]

See that was always going to be the answer. Really I'm surprised that they haven't lowered the minimum wage and got rid of the WTD, which I believe is the target. Work for ?1 an hour sweeping chimney's 20 hours a day, 7 days a week. Good old Dickension Tory and Liberal ethics. Ah the good old days.

GastonJ, Don't forget to bow down, tug your forelock and say Thank you Sir.

[bonus2010]

I could see it's been very difficult for the government to fix out the mess that Labour / Gordon Brown government left the country in... When Gordon Brown introduced tax credits, I thought it was something to do with workers getting some sort of rebate on the tax they had paid Actually, it's what would be better called unearned welfare benefits for the underemployed.
IDS is completely correct... if people need more money, all they've to do is go out and work for it... it's that simple.

[GastonJ]

If people need more money, all they've to do is go out and work for it... it's that simple.

Totally agree, employees should be paid a living wage instead of the taxpayer subsidising employers to pay a pittance so they can make more profit. Then there'd be no need for tax credits at all.

[bonus2010]

Well, employers are very clever people and for many they will keep hourly rates the lowest they can... it is, in my opinion because of tax credits (in-work welfare benefits) that they’re able to do this. So, the most sensible thing for the government to do to help low incomes would be to abolish in-work benefits.

[GastonJ]

The fairest way is to legislate for a minimum living wage and at the same time end tax credits when everything is in place and people earn enough to live on. Though I suspect this government will not do both; they'll most likely end working tax credits and remove the WTD instead. That way people can work from dawn until dusk for enough to live on and maybe save money on pension payments by dying before they retire thus saving even more.

[bonus2010]

Sure, to legislate for a minimum living wage is a good idea... employers who can’t meet this don’t deserve to be in business... Another idea would be to stop paying out WTC to those working under 40 hours per week. To increase personal tax allowances, and that way all low income groups would be helped fairly .