The Universal Credit two-child limit: all cost, no benefit

Picture of piggy bank being held by different ages of hands - Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

SOAPBOX: a representative from the British Association of Social Workers argues that the UK Government policy to limit Universal Credit to the first two children in a household is unbefitting of a modern, just society and argues that this roll-back of welfare provision is being pursued regardless of the impacts on hard-up families and vulnerable children. The resulting costs of implementing the introduction of the two-child policy mean that it seems to be driven by ideological rather than fiscal responsibility.

UN Report: The Full Picture of Poverty in the UK is Obvious to Anyone who Opens their Eyes

“[T]he full picture of poverty in the United Kingdom, much of it the direct result of government policies… is obvious to anyone who opens their eyes. There has been a shocking increase in the number of food banks and major increases in homelessness and rough sleeping; a growing number of homeless families…” – Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur on poverty in the UK (22 May 2019) “I reject the idea that there are vast numbers of people facing dire …

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Tories identify the ‘squeezed middle’ and then find an inventive way to squeeze them just a little bit harder.

That rugby tackle, eh? Boris’s way is the old Etonian way. Coming through and winning, and it doesn’t seem to matter who gets hurt. Even Tory voters, apparently… Kate Malby, with a Tory take on the matter… …last night’s former Tory voter was heavily on message, until suddenly, she wasn’t. ‘I work bloody hard for my money to provide for my children, to give them everything they’ve got… and you’re going to take it away from me and them.’ It was …

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So where did this Free School Dinners controversy blow up from?

Before we leave the subject of free school meals to its fate, it’s worth highlighting the fact the Minister of Education, Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd, made a useful contribution to the discussion on this site at the end of last week (though his remarks seemed to go over the heads of some of our commenters).  A key reason for the rise in those entitled is down to the extension in the eligibility criteria implemented by my predecessor, Caitríona Ruane. In …

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