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Ready
for work! From
Monday 24th November, single mums - parents - will need to satisfy
the benefits system, that they are 'ready and available for work up
to sixteen hours in a week - providing that their youngest child is
12 years old. It used to be 16 years old. In two years time, the age
of the youngest child will be lowered to 7 years.
The moaning and carping has already started from
campaigners. Unfair? - What do you think?
Tell us here
If you have become used to living off the state,
then this new rule might seem harsh. However, having to work to make
ends meet is a normal activity for most. If this new rule can help
you back into work earlier, before settling in on the benefits
system, then t can only be good for you and the country. |
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Bite the bullet. Rise to the challenge. In most
cases the state will still be there to help those that really need
it. Comment
If the government had paid a little
more attention to the shortcomings of the old CSA and forcefully
collected the money that is owed to lone parents and their children,
it would have been a fairer system. Basically the introduction of of
the new 'CSA' is little other than an admission that it screwed up
last time. The money for children should in the first case come from
absent fathers! The basic change (24th November 2008) is
that.....
- If you are already claiming income support,
then the following changes will be implemented during the course
of 2009.
- NEW
- If you do not have a child under age 12
years, then if you are capable of work, you must claim
Jobseeker's Allowance instead of Income Support.
- You can only claim Jobseeker's Allowance if
you are 'actively' looking for work.
- If you are not capable of work, or you have
other reasons for claiming Income Support, then you can continue
to claim Income Support. Other reasons include Higher rate DLA -
Disability Living Allowance and Carers Allowance or are
fostering.
- The age qualification for youngest child will
be lowered to 10 years in Oct 2009 and 7 years in Oct 2010.
- The total amount will be about the same.
However, if you do not fall in line with the new rules, you
could find your benefits being cut by as much as 40%.
The timing of the new age limits and desire to see
single parents in some work is a bit unfortunate, and the proposals
were obviously drafted before the current economic problems (Oct
2008).
Presumable there will be some flexibility
built into the system, or it will be doomed to catastrophic failure, as the
prospect of finding a job of any kind recedes! Over to you
Gordon! Probably seemed a good idea at the time.
Healthy Start
Food Vouchers
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