I couldn't resist coining that I'm afraid.

What expectations do we have from this 'government' in welfare rights terms and how should we approach them?

I admit to a certain doubt about the apparent naivety, or at least lack of holistic understanding of the Lib-Dem tax proposal which seems to be going to be adopted by the new administration.

"We propose to raise the threshold at which people start paying income tax from current levels to £10,000, cutting the average working age person’s income tax bill by £700 and cutting pensioner’s income tax bills by £100. These plans will mean that almost 4 million people on low incomes will no longer have to pay any income tax at all."

This is being presented as a benefit for the lower paid but is, in fact, much more valuable to those on higher incomes.

Those on higher incomes will get to keep the extra net income but those on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit could lose 85% of that in deductions from HB and CTB.

So £700 to the better-off and £105 to the low paid does look like more of the Con side of the coalition to me.

Don't know about that but Beeb are reporting that it's IDS who will be Work and Pensions Secretary, so a perusal of the Centre for Social Justice website will probably be useful in terms of what will get served up for benefit claimants in coming months and possibly years.

On their latest paper, that boils down to:

- scrap the current benefits system and move to two "stream-lined" payments (universal working credit and universal life credit);
- reduce penalties for couples, mortgage holders and low-earning savers;
- increase earnings disregards for low earners;
- introduce benefit withdrawal rate of 55% of post tax earnings across the board.

"I couldn't resist coining that I'm afraid."

thank you. it made me laugh, and i'm feeling slightly depressed...

life getting tougher at the bottom end of the food chain...

"scrap the current benefits system and move to two "stream-lined" payments (universal working credit and universal life credit);"

oh dear...

I wouldn't worry too much yet. Apart from the national government during World War 2, for obvious reasons, no other minority or coalition government during the last century survived until the end of the year. In 1924 Ramsey McDonald's Labour government was annihilated later that year by the Tories under Baldwin. In 1974 the Lib/Lab pact collapsed before the year was out and Labour won the second election with a slim majority. Economic collapse duly followed.

agree with that. can't see it lasting. but i think we were both around to remember 74 (i was, certainly!)

I was 15. I was aware at the time of what was going on from the telly but was too busy having a laugh with my mates to really understand any of it.

I didn't know they had the telly in 1924.

Fri 14-May-10 12:31 PM by pete c

Hi Gareth,
If Nevip watched on telly in 1924 does it then follow that he is the worlds oldest WRO at 101 years!

Anyone want to see my telegram from her maj?

that makes you younger than me, if you were 15 in 74...