Britain's poor suffer brutal benefit attack

Louise Nousratpour
Friday November 21, 2008
The Morning Star

A SENIOR government adviser urged new Labour on Friday to rethink plans to force Britain's poorest people into low-paid work by threatening to cut their benefits.

Social security advisory committee chairman Sir Richard Tilt was joined by family charities, the TUC and Labour MPs in condemning the welfare-to-work measures as a "brutal attack" on lone parents and disabled people.

From Monday, people with disabilities and single parents with a youngest child of 12 who apply for income support will be put on jobseeker's allowance and expected to look for work or face sanctions, including benefits cuts of up to 40 per cent.

Only full-time carers, disabled people "with the greatest needs" and those with disabled or sick children will be exempt. By 2010, the rule will be extended to lone parents with a youngest child aged seven or over.

Announcing the changes, Pensions Secretary James Purnell insisted that they were aimed at helping the jobless seek work.

But critics dismissed the measures as "cruel" and "unworkable" in the face of rising unemployment and deepening economic crisis.

They highlighted the government's own figures showing that over 56 per cent of Britain's estimated 1.8 million lone parents are already in work.

Sir Richard said: "Benefit rates are relatively low and, if you are going to reduce someone's benefit for a few weeks by 40 per cent, you are pushing people much closer to poverty.

"Of course, the child will suffer, but it's not the child that has fallen foul of the system."

TUC leader Brendan Barber insisted: "As thousands join the dole queue every day, this is the worst possible time for a further benefits crackdown and introducing workfare.

"If the government continues, more people will be left in poverty, unable to work or claim benefits, and, at £60.50 a week, many of those claiming jobseeker's allowance will still find themselves in poverty."

Left MP John McDonnell called for an "immediate halt" to the measures, which he branded a "brutal attack on some of the poorest members of our society."

He added: "It will put immense pressure and stress on parents struggling to bring up their children at a time when there is increasing unemployment and opportunities to re-enter the labour market are restricted by the economic recession."

Lone parent charity group Gingerbread warned that the workfare plans would undermine good parenting and force many into low-paid, dead-end jobs.

Chief executive Fiona Weir said that many parents could end up "cycling" between low-paid work and benefits.

Maxine Hill of childcare charity Daycare Trust feared that there was not enough suitable and affordable childcare for lone parents.

"Our childcare costs surveys show above-inflation increases in the cost of childcare," Ms Hill said.