Welfare news
Sep. 9th, 2010 09:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aumentouNews article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11250639
So, the welfare bill is to be reduced by 4 billion quid. This is pretty ambitious.
"Mr Osborne told BBC political editor Nick Robinson that those making a "lifestyle choice to just sit on out-of-work benefits" would be affected."
Right. So... you know how many of those there are. And you know how to cut them and not everybody else. And you know that it's going to generate a 4 billion quid saving. So why not go round and book them for benefit fraud? You know, since the only way you could know all that is if you knew exactly who you were after already.
The answer is, you don't know who is thieving, so you're making a competely random guess. But since you've named a figure, now you've given staff an incentive to reach it. Which means there's going to be pressure to reach it whether or not the amount that's going to hte wrong people is that high. If the requisite number of cheats and thieves can't be found, oyu're going to start axing the benefits of people who need them.
So this is lies and pain. Lies by politicians leading to pain for real people. Again.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11250639
So, the welfare bill is to be reduced by 4 billion quid. This is pretty ambitious.
"Mr Osborne told BBC political editor Nick Robinson that those making a "lifestyle choice to just sit on out-of-work benefits" would be affected."
Right. So... you know how many of those there are. And you know how to cut them and not everybody else. And you know that it's going to generate a 4 billion quid saving. So why not go round and book them for benefit fraud? You know, since the only way you could know all that is if you knew exactly who you were after already.
The answer is, you don't know who is thieving, so you're making a competely random guess. But since you've named a figure, now you've given staff an incentive to reach it. Which means there's going to be pressure to reach it whether or not the amount that's going to hte wrong people is that high. If the requisite number of cheats and thieves can't be found, oyu're going to start axing the benefits of people who need them.
So this is lies and pain. Lies by politicians leading to pain for real people. Again.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 12:05 pm (UTC)I despair.
I really better get this house sorted out so there's space for more lodgers before they decide I'm 'fit for work'. I'm genuinely afraid for how I'll manage.