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Election 2015
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Welfare rights officer - Derbyshire County Council, High Peak
Total Posts: 108
Joined: 16 June 2010
Hello Shawn
As well as the benefits section of the Green Party manifesto there are also some HB issues under their housing section - bedroom tax etc (see p44).
Yours
Nerdily
Brilliant ... cheers Tony ... will add them in ....
Cheers - Shawn
The SNP’s manifesto, published today, includes that the Party will -
- support a single-tier pension of £160
- vote to continue the state pension triple lock of a rise by inflation, earning or 2.5%, whichever is the higher
- vote to protect the winter fuel allowance
- oppose the abolition of savings credit
- seek a review of plans to raise the state pension age beyond 66
- oppose plans for further cuts to child benefit and tax credits
- vote to increase benefits at least in line with CPI inflation
- vote to block plans to cut disability living allowance by £3bn by 2017/2018
- support an increase in carer’s allowance so that it matches jobseeker’s allowance
- vote for the immediate abolition of the bedroom tax and use the £35m currently spend to compensate those affected on combating, and eventually eradicating, food poverty
http://www.snp.org/sites/default/files/page/file/04_16d_snp_election_manifesto_290x280x.pdf
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Advice and Rights Team, Child Poverty Action Group
Total Posts: 550
Joined: 30 June 2014
Rather pleasingly, I’ve also spotted that the SNP want to:
We will demand an urgent review of the conditionality and sanctions regime, in order to deliver an overhaul of the current, deeply ineffective arrangements, which impact on some of the most vulnerable in our society. The review will take particular account of the needs of people with mental health issues. We will seek to establish an approach that is proportionate and ethical, that recognises the particular challenges facing some individuals, and that avoids excessive or blanket measures which penalise those looking for work. The removal of cash benefits should be a last, rather than a first, resort.
Cheers Paul ... our overview of the main Party manifestos has now been updated to include the SNP
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/Welfare_Benefits_Party_Manifestos_GE2015.pdf
Sinn Fein’s manifesto, published yesterday, includes that it will -
- fully implement the welfare protection in the Stormont House agreement
- continue to oppose austerity and protect core public services such as health, education and welfare
- seek the establishment of a Poverty Commission
- work to ensure pension credits are paid automatically
- promote a pilot scheme to ensure maximum take-up of benefit entitlement for parents of children with
disabilities and for adults with complex needs
http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/2015/Westminster_Manifesto_2015_web.pdf
[ Edited: 21 Apr 2015 at 12:50 pm by Ros ]The DUP’s manifesto, published today, includes that it will -
- support the abolition of the bedroom tax
- support universal credit being allowed to bed down, enabling a proper evaluation of its impact
- oppose taxing disability benefits
- support the triple lock on the state pension
- oppose plans to means test pensioner benefits that are currently universal
- ensure that it protects those in need through the welfare system
- ensure economic migrants must have contributed to the UK before they are entitled to claim benefits;
http://dev.mydup.com/images/uploads/publications/DUP_Manifesto_2015_LR.pdf
[ Edited: 21 Apr 2015 at 12:48 pm by Ros ]forum member
Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland
Total Posts: 879
Joined: 22 August 2013
disability agenda scotland manifesto
http://www.disabilityagendascotland.org.uk/home/das-2015-manifesto
The Alliance Party’s manifesto, published on 16 April 2015, includes that it will -
- abolish the bedroom tax
- reform welfare assessments so that people with lifelong conditions do not need regular re-assessment
- provide specific assistance for disabled people and their employers to allow access to work, following the ‘Employability Programme for Deaf People’.
- support the implementation of an easier process for scrutiny and transparency of any private companies responsible for medical assessments for welfare by both legislation and procurement
- support removing onerous obligations being placed on people who are in receipt of benefits or for a lower rate of benefits for younger people.
- support paying housing benefit directly to landlords.
- support a wide-range of opportunities for recipients to re-skill or re-train.
- support a ‘yellow card’ system for benefit sanctions which would allow recipients the opportunity for an explanation and the introduction of more stringent requirements before a sanction is considered
- advocate for an increase in carer’s allowance.
- advocate moving to a position where a pension is paid on the basis of meeting residence requirements
rather than contributory requirements.
- support an annual state pension uplift which is linked to inflation, prices and earnings, whichever is the highest
- support taking independent, objective analysis on the issue of the national pension liability, age of eligibility and how this affects long-term funding arrangements
- seek to balance the need for sustainable finances with the need to ensure people have a dignified retirement and time to adjust to any necessary changes in their pension provision
http://allianceparty.org/document/manifesto/alliance-2015-westminster-manifesto.pdf
[ Edited: 21 Apr 2015 at 12:49 pm by Ros ]Don’t forget the Whigs, http://whigs.uk/manifesto/.
I’m actually quite taken with them overall but they need a bit of help with their benefits proposals.
The Ulster Unionist Party’s manifesto includes that it will -
- ensure work pays in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency
- introduce a statutory duty on Departments to work towards eliminating child poverty
http://uup.org/our-vision/ulster-unionist-party-manifestos
Our overview of the welfare benefit pleges in the main party manifestos has now been updated to include the main NI parties too
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/Welfare_Benefits_Party_Manifestos_GE2015.pdf
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benefitsowl.info, Manchester
Total Posts: 42
Joined: 30 July 2013
I’ve just published a blog post listing the benefit-related commitments made by the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems, UKIP, the Greens, and (after some agonising as to whether to include them) the SNP. I apologise to other smaller parties but sadly I’ve run out of time…
I’ve arranged the post by issue, not party, so that it’s fairly easy to compare what each party says - or doesn’t say - about it.
http://benefitsowl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/election-manifestos-what-they-have-to.html
I hope people find it to be another useful resource. If you do like it please let me know, using the comments section on the blog.
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Welfare Rights Adviser - Southwark Law Centre, Peckham
Total Posts: 1156
Joined: 25 February 2014
ros - 21 April 2015 11:12 AMThe DUP’s manifesto, published today, includes that it will -
- support the abolition of the bedroom tax
- support universal credit being allowed to bed down, enabling a proper evaluation of its impact
- oppose taxing disability benefits
- support the triple lock on the state pension
- oppose plans to means test pensioner benefits that are currently universal
- ensure that it protects those in need through the welfare system
- ensure economic migrants must have contributed to the UK before they are entitled to claim benefits;http://dev.mydup.com/images/uploads/publications/DUP_Manifesto_2015_LR.pdf
What about lesbians?
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Advice and Rights Team, Child Poverty Action Group
Total Posts: 550
Joined: 30 June 2014
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has done an analysis of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour tax and benefits proposals including that -
‘Where benefit cuts are proposed, they are largely unspecified (Conservatives), vague (Liberal Democrats) or trivially small relative to the rhetoric being used (Labour).’
http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/7735
[ Edited: 28 Apr 2015 at 04:02 pm by Ros ]DWP draws up list of “controversial” benefit cuts in case next govt struggles to keep within cap on welfare spending ... leaked docs show plans for increases in the bedroom tax; benefit cuts for under 25s; and abolition of maternity pay
Staying up tonight?
Here’s a list of expected declaration times ....
http://election.pressassociation.com/Declaration_times/general_2015_by_time.php
... plus, see attached for some DWP/Justice candidates to look out for
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The Brunswick Centre, Kirklees & Calderdale
Total Posts: 1366
Joined: 22 July 2013
At least we’re all going to be busy for the next 5 yrs whilst this latest bunch of grubbing sociopaths & racists carry on dismantling the welfare state
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Welfare rights worker - Oxford Community Work Agency
Total Posts: 1659
Joined: 18 June 2010
Billy Durrant - 08 May 2015 10:01 AMAt least we’re all going to be busy for the next 5 yrs whilst this latest bunch of grubbing sociopaths & racists carry on dismantling the welfare state
Assuming there’s any funding.
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Welfare Rights Adviser - Southwark Law Centre, Peckham
Total Posts: 1156
Joined: 25 February 2014
And hardly surprising given the shower that passes for ‘opposition’.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/12/labour-benefits-tories-labour-rachel-reeves-welfare
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The Brunswick Centre, Kirklees & Calderdale
Total Posts: 1366
Joined: 22 July 2013
Peter Turville - 08 May 2015 10:09 AMBilly Durrant - 08 May 2015 10:01 AMAt least we’re all going to be busy for the next 5 yrs whilst this latest bunch of grubbing sociopaths & racists carry on dismantling the welfare state
Assuming there’s any funding.
Come pay or workfare I’ll be fighting the good fight as I am sure you will too Peter. Maybe IDS will get embroiled in a sex scandal, blow all his millions on the libel case, lose his job, become unemployable, get turfed out of his freebie mansion, end up on Universal Credit, get nothing due to surplus earnings rules and end up maximising his economic choices at the foodbank. At least allow me to dream this might happen…
you’ll have seen over the weekend -
- IDS back as Work and Pensions Secretery
- Michaeal Gove is new Justice Secretary
- DWP Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper to be Chief Whip, replacing Michael Gove
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/10/iain-duncan-smith-conservative-cabinet-david-cameron-welfare-cuts
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/09/michael-gove-justice-chief-cabinet-conservatives-election
plus .. Conservatives to push forward on manifesto with plan to scrap Human Rights Act included in Queen’s speech on 27 May
Priti Patel is to be Minister of State for Employment at the DWP
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Advice and Rights Team, Child Poverty Action Group
Total Posts: 550
Joined: 30 June 2014
So they’ve replace Esther McVey with someone who:
How Priti Patel voted on Welfare and Benefits
Voted strongly for reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the “bedroom tax”)
Voted very strongly against raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices
Voted strongly against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability
Voted very strongly for making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support
Voted very strongly for a reduction in spending on welfare benefits
Voted strongly against spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed
Next five years are going to be fun fun fun…..
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Deputy Manager, Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit
Total Posts: 1711
Joined: 16 June 2010
Don’t. We’re already contemplating a mass lemming-like plunge from local motorway bridge…
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council
Total Posts: 2262
Joined: 15 October 2012
Maybe my pitchfork stall at the forthcoming NAWRA might see some trade now… Flaming brands by special order; please feel free to inbox me.
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Senior Welfare Rights officer Tameside Welfare Rights Service Greater Manchester
Total Posts: 59
Joined: 17 June 2010
Ros Altmann becomes Minister for Pensions @ DWP
(Not an MP, so she will become a peer)
Justin Tomlinson has been appointed as Minister for Disabled People at the DWP.