Jeremy Corbyn’s government will scrap Universal Credit if elected, he has promised. However, we do not know the details of how this will happen. They have pledged a £3bn package of emergency reforms which will, amongst other things, remove the outrageous “rape clause”; tax-credit is only paid for the first two children now; a woman must prove any subsequent child was conceived as a result of rape.

The five weeks wait for benefits will be reduced to two.

As KUWG has repeatedly pointed out the hostile environment and underfunding of the DWP (and the Home Office also!) has resulted in growing numbers of suicides and a ballooning use of foodbanks, more than four in ten have been forced to use them.

Far from the welfare state being the safety net it was intended to be now it is a means of humiliating and harassing claimants, particularly the most vulnerable, the disabled and mentally ill.

The purpose of Coalition and subsequent Tory/DUP governments was to save money to be transferred to billionaires and to force workers to take any job at any wage; those on the dole were only ‘scroungers’.

So low pay and zero hours contracts have ballooned, proving the evil intentions of the Tories (and LibDems!) was working for them by screwing us.

If Labour eliminates this attitude then the details of how to resolve the UC conundrum – what to do with those already on it and what to replace it with – can be worked out in collaboration with the user groups like KUWG and the PCS union. But we must continue to fight for ending the hostile environment, the real prize!

Jeremy Corbyn said:

“When a Labour government takes office, we will introduce an emergency package of reforms to end the worst aspects of Universal Credit. And we will introduce a new system that will be based on the principles of dignity and respect and it will alleviate and end poverty, not drive people into it.”

 Labour had already promised to stop the national rollout of UC if elected.▲

CJ KUWG: Watching  the statement by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ on Thomas Cook in Parliament (25/9/19) about the collapse and job loses, Therese Coffey, the DWP Secretary of State, heard his statement then walked out soon after. With questions which followed about job losses and proposed Job Centre help, it showed lack of interest on her part.

Shame. Grant Shapps was asked what would happen with sacked workers to get money quickly via Universal Credit to avoid the in-built delays? He replied they could get an “advance payment”.

Not sure the sacked workers would know they would have to pay it back as it’s a LOAN of course!

Workers are only a company shut down away from a Claimant’s life- so the Employed & Unemployed have mutual interests, especially with Universal Credit comprising of Employed workers too.

Universal Credit which comprises of Government-inspired indebtedness for totally innocent people, should be SCRAPPED!

Mary: Typical, Well the government should have saved the company-not necessarily the bosses’ jobs but the jobs of the workers. They don’t care….. ▲