UC and prepaid cards

I am worried.

Pre-paid cards are a possibility for the future - http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/thepowerofprepaid and this report makes out some positive possibilities for them as well as providing cautions on the negatives.

In today’s Grauniad, there’s a feature on the Azure Card imposed upon asylum seekers -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/30/asylum-theresa-may-private-fiefdom

and here’s another article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/06/asylum-seekers-azure-card

and here’s the Azure card ‘user guide’
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/asylum/vouchers.pdf

And then of course there’s the MP who wants cash cards introduced to prevent ‘non-essential’ spending
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/news/story/welfare-cash-card-bill-introduced-to-parliament/

What if pre-paid cards are the future but they are used to dictate spending as per Azure? Does anyone know how the technology works – if someone tried to buy booze at Tesco’s, would the card activate an alarm and bring the shutters down, as a colleague has (I hope jokingly) suggested, or can it ‘refuse’ certain products?

How much control will government take of people’s ability to spend, and how much will be based upon moral judgements made in advance? What about the stigma possible with such a system? What about the implications for individual liberties?

(All of these are open questions obviously!!!)

also, in terms of individual liberties, mandatory prevention of spending on ‘non-essentials’ could only work if no cash allowed, so no ability to give pocket money to children, buy fruit and veg on market stalls etc.

There will also be people who sell approved goods on for less than their value in cash.

Given the severe housing shortage in many areas wouldn’t is solve two problems in one to re-introduce work houses? They really would have control over the behaviour of the poor then! And it is only a short step in the argument.

The Workhouse? Far too comfortable: companionship, free exercise facilities, meat on Sundays, a teacher for the kids, a regular visit from the guardians, a clay pipe for the elders. We can’t afford luxuries like that!

See the item just posted by Paul Treloar - http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/4327/

Duncan-Smith is using ‘addiction’ as an excuse to attack the poorest - they will waste the money on booze and drugs you see? There is a link to a Daily Mail article and there in an inset box is the government’s new pet card concept.

Let’s hope they will be hoist by their own pet card…...