Amid growing calls from across the political spectrum for a pause in the Universal Credit rollout as evidence of problems continues to mount, the Work and Pensions Committee will take evidence from Secretary of State David Gauke on Wednesday morning.

The DWP has failed to respond to the Committee’s call for written evidence, or any of the four letters requesting statistics and clarifications of policy sent to the Secretary of State over the past six weeks. The Department was asked to respond to the questions by last Thursday, so that the Committee could go into the session with a full understanding of the current picture of the rollout and the protections in place for vulnerable claimants. Despite all this, the DWP has failed to provide any new information to the inquiry. 

There are very few statistics in the public domain on Universal Credit.  DWP itself has never published data on the length of waits over the statutory, in-built 6 weeks: news of delays of 10, 12 week or longer in receiving payments was heard in evidence to the Committee. In seeking to get an up-to-date impression of the rollout and its effects at local level, the Committee has written to the 54 MPs whose constituents will be subject to Universal Credit full service for the first time in October, asking them to report back information.

103 organisations and individuals managed to send written evidence to the Committee by last Friday’s deadline. A further 52 individuals have contributed to the online forum. That is in addition to the 180 organisations and individuals who contributed written evidence to the inquiry before the election was called.

Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Chair of the Committee, said: “For claimants not to receive money from Universal Credit is usually a disaster. For the Secretary of State not to answer letters shows either a huge discourtesy to Parliament or a sign that the Government knows the game is nearly up in trying to present this mega-reform as a success.

“I don’t know if the DWP is deliberately concealing information about Universal Credit or is simply incompetent. Either way, it is not good enough. This has obvious echoes in the far greater failure of not paying hungry claimants on time.

“One letter simply asked if the conference announcement on advance payments was, despite appearances, simply a restatement of existing policy. You’d think they could at least answer that one. We expect another announcement on Wednesday about helping councils left short by Universal Credit’s failure to account for the cost of emergency temporary accommodation, by “rolling-in” some claimants back onto Housing Benefit. This is overdue, but does nothing to address the fundamental problem of people being left for weeks without anything to live on.

“Given everything we have heard, I was surprised that David Gauke opted to proceed with the accelerated rollout. I strongly suspect his decision, together with the failure to tell us anything, reflects a culture at the DWP of those most invested in Universal Credit not telling anyone, including their Ministers, bad news. The overwhelming picture we are getting is that Universal Credit as currently configured is very bad news. We have heard nothing, to the contrary or otherwise, from those running it.”

The Committee will be putting some of the many individual cases and scenarios it has heard to the Minister on Wednesday morning. Later in the day in the House of Commons there will be an Opposition Day debate on Universal Credit. 

ABC Note: We have asked the DWP Press Office about the terms of advance payment (loans) and what the terms are. We have had no response so far. 

The Liberal Democrats have said the government must urgently commit to staying in the single market and customs union, after Vauxhall announced 400 job losses at its plant at Ellesmere Port.

Vauxhall's owner PSA has warned that future investment decisions will be put on hold until there is more clarity over the UK's future trading relationship with the EU.

Car sales are significantly down and BREXIT is creating further uncertainty. 

Image: Vauxhall Ellesmere Port.

And: Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable has warned that the economy is in serious trouble after the ONS revised figures showing that Britain’s assets are worth £490bn less than had been thought.

An indicator of how the quality of life is falling due to austerity is in these statistics just out from the Office of National Statistics.

The UK has dropped several ranks in the European Union rankings of child mortality since 1990, recent analysis of WHO (World Health Organisation) and ONS (Office of National Statistics) data has found.

The drop-in rankings occurred in the two UN Sustainable Development Goal indicators for child mortality – which cover neonatal mortality, and under-five mortality. The goal is that by 2030, all countries should reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births, and under-five mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.

The data for both indicators show that although the UK met the global target some 40 years ago, the rate of improvement has slowed compared with other EU countries, which are making faster progress. The Department of Health committed to halving the rate of stillbirths and infant deaths in England by 2030.

What is the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal?

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Target: By 2030, end preventable deaths of new-born’s and children under five years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.

And on another topic:

There has been criticism of the fact that public schools are registered as charities. 

Top independent schools are using their charitable status to help wealthy parents reduce their tax bills.

Some of Britain’s best known public schools are openly advertising the tax benefits available to parents who sign up to what are known as "advanced fee schemes".

Elite boys’ school Harrow highlights the “tax-efficient” nature of its scheme which allows parents to pay a large amount of tuition fees up front. The school openly advertises the fact that the £33,285-a-year north London boarding school offers 'attractive returns tax free'. 

The question must be asked is - why are public schools and rich parents avoiding tax, when the health of babies - the children of the rest of the public are dying in greater numbers, in relation to the rest of Europe?

Why should the masses of poor people end up subsidising the education of children of the rich elite? Should we not end the charitable status of public schools, close these tax loopholes and use the money to catch up with the rest of Europe by reducing child mortality? 

Image: Harrow Public School - should public schools really be classed as charities? 

Image: Public school fees schemes benefit from 'advance fee' tax avoidance.  

Residents of all ages are invited to attend a job fair with a difference on Tuesday 24 October.    

The free event runs from 10am to 3pm at The Plaza, Civic Centre Way, Havant, PO9 2AX. There is no need to pre-book, simply drop in.

Anyone who is looking for a job or career change can get expert advice on college courses, employers, apprenticeship offers, childcare providers and benefit allowances as well as getting a CV written for free.

Potential employers will also be available on the day to discuss job opportunities.  Support services will be available to advise on the difficulties and challenges you may be experiencing in seeking employment.

Working in partnership with Radian Est and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Havant Borough Council will be hosting the event that will also offer free workshops to assist you in reaching your true potential. 

To help in transport issues that may be an issue in getting new employment, anyone who completes all challenges on the day may win a bike*.

Image: Councillor Leah Turner, Cabinet lead for Communities and Communities

Councillor Leah Turner, Cabinet lead for Communities and Communities, said: “This event is an excellent opportunity for unemployed and employed residents to come along and get help in their search for new career opportunities.  It is open to anyone who feels something is stopping them getting their ideal job. The journey to employment will begin at this job fair with the opportunity of walking (or cycling) away with the chance of a new career.”

Parents can bring their children, as free entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

*Bikes are second hand with limited stock available 

Image: Havant Council

Image: Havant Council Area Map

ABC Note: Havant Council - Poster added. Please see below:  

The National Health Action Party are holding their AGM Saturday 18th November 2017 Old Library, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford OX1 1BX

AGM 11:30-13:00
Lunch 13:00-14:00
Conference 14:00-16:00

The National Health Action Party would like to invite full party members to participate in outheir AGM, and they invite all our members and supporters to our 2017 conference. Please note the venue has a limited capacity they point out. 

People claiming universal credit have been offered free use of Plaid Cymru phones to avoid helpline charges. Party leader Leanne Wood said amid delays in payments, charging callers up to 55p a minute to check the status of their claim "adds insult to injury".

Image: Leanne Wood

The party said all Plaid MPs and assembly members would let claimants make the calls from their offices.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said people concerned about the cost could request a free call back.

Image: Plaid Cymru

In-work poverty increased during the economic and financial crisis that hit European shores in 2008. By 2014, ten per cent of European workers were at risk of poverty, up from eight per cent in 2007. Ten per cent is a significant figure: the working poor represent a substantial group that can’t be ignored. Just as disconcerting is the finding that 13 per cent of European workers are materially deprived. This latter measure helps to capture the impact of the crisis on people’s real living conditions.

A new study by Eurofound looks at what it means to be working poor and finds that in-work poverty is associated with lower levels of subjective and mental well-being, problems with accommodation, as well as poorer relationships with other people and feelings of social exclusion. This demonstrates the importance of paying particular attention to the working poor and of better documenting their social situation.

Much of the focus of governments and social partners is on getting people into work. However, having a job is not always enough to avoid poverty and in many European Union member states the number of working poor households increased during the economic and financial crisis. If no attention is paid to the incomes these workers receive and the nature of the households in which they live, this could even further increase the amount of people at risk of in-work poverty in Europe.

An outcome of the crisis has been an increase in mental health problems. Data from Eurofound’s 2016 European Quality of Life Survey shows that the working poor are more likely to report mental health problems than the working population in general: 22 per cent of those experiencing material deprivation reported having felt tense and 12 per cent felt lonely or downhearted and depressed. For the working population at large the figures are significantly lower.

Workers experiencing material deprivation are also less likely to have somebody with whom to discuss personal matters and they receive less help from relatives, friends or neighbours than their non-poor counterparts. They are also more likely to feel unrecognised by others or to say that people look down on them due to their job situation or income. Twelve per cent say they feel left out of society, compared to five per cent for the working population at large. This suggests that perceived social exclusion is a significant problem among working poor Europeans.

Housing trap

Another issue for the working poor is poor quality housing, with all the associated risks this has with poor health. Compared to the working population at large, the working poor are nearly twice as likely to live in an overcrowded household or in a dwelling that is too dark. The cost of housing is also a serious problem for the working poor: 2014 data from Eurostat shows that for seven out of ten materially deprived workers, housing costs are a heavy burden. What is striking about this is that of all the measures examined, the cost of housing is the only one where the working-poor score even worse than the unemployed, for whom housing allowances provide some assistance.

The recorded inequalities in the living conditions of the working poor go beyond accommodation alone; it also relates to their immediate living environment. In addition to reporting lower satisfaction with the recreational or green areas in their neighbourhood, materially deprived workers more frequently report crime, violence or vandalism in their immediate environment, more pollution and more noise.

Finally and not surprisingly, working poor Europeans rate their life satisfaction lower than better-off workers.

All of this shows that in-work poverty has serious social ramifications. That is why measures are needed that aim directly at helping to improve the living standards of this group of Europeans. This can be achieved not only through direct measures such as better income support and better social protection but also through indirect measures like access to childcare and housing support. As the study shows, ignoring the situation of this significant group of European workers has serious societal implications.

Image: Eurofound

Living Rent  members in the West of Glasgow say need your support!

For months Living Rent members  have been gathering evidence and struggling against the ridiculous rents they say within Whiteinch Housing Association, In the last few weeks they have been joined by full blocks of tenants in neighbouring Partick Housing who are faced with even higher monthly rent!

On Tuesday Living Rent members and their neighbours will be hosting a community street meeting and converting the outside of their block into a visual representation of their plight! They need your help and support, please head down to Inchholm street just off Dumbarton Road (This area contains both Whiteinch and Patrick Housing stock) on Tuesday afternoon from 1pm.

Can't make Tuesday but want to help? Get your hands dirty at their banner making workshop and drop in on Monday evening in the West Gap office from 2pm.

Facebook Events:

Community street meeting

Banner making and drop in

Living Rent want homes for people not profits. Click on the logo below to visit their website: 

Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is in Lyon celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus student exchange program.

The Erasmus Programme is an EU exchange student programme that has been in existence since the late 1980's Its purpose is to provide foreign exchange options for students from within the European Union and it involves many of the best universities and seats of learning on the continent.

How does the Erasmas Program work?

The programme is aimed at cross-border cooperation between states to aid the growth of international studying, and with over 4000 students involved in the programme at any one time it offers an excellent chance of experience abroad

Erasmus Plus, is the new programme combining all the EU's current schemes for education, training, youth and sport, which was started in January 2014, is a new 14.7 billion euro catch-all framework programme for education, training, youth and sport. The new Erasmus+ programme combines all the EU's current schemes for education, training, youth and sport, including the Lifelong Learning Programme (Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius, Grundtvig), Youth in Action and five international co-operation programmes (Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa, Edulink and the programme for co-operation with industrialised countries). The Erasmus+ regulation was signed on 11 December 2013.

There are currently more than 4,000 higher institutions participating in Erasmus across the 37 countries involved in the Erasmus programme and by 2013, 3 million students had taken part since the programme's inception in 1987. In 2012-13 alone, 270,000 took part, the most popular destinations being Spain, Germany, Italy and France. Erasmus students represented 5 percent of European graduates as of 2012.

Interested in the 2018 programme, click below. 

Image: Erasmus, scholar & theologian argued against 'Dogmatism'. 

Plaid Cymru Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities Sian Gwenllian has said:

“The Conservative UK Government’s cruel austerity agenda has had a hugely negative effect on Wales. Food bank use has risen by 550%, there has been a tenfold increase in the number of people being sanctioned by the DWP, and 31% of children in Wales are now in poverty.

“But what is infuriating is that there is much more that the Welsh Government could be doing to help the families that have been affected, but it refuses to do so. The Labour government could follow Scotland’s lead and fund the shortfall caused by the Bedroom Tax – which is actually cheaper than the current practice of making people homeless – but it has refused to do so.

“It could take practical action to support families that face poverty, by changing local authority rules and continuing the Independent Living Fund. And it could seek powers over the administration of the welfare system in Wales in order to bring inhumane sanctions and unnecessary payment delays to an end.

“But at the very least it should bring forward a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy that sets out clear targets and responsibilities. The Labour government should be ashamed that it has failed to produce a clear anti-poverty strategy until now despite the fact that almost a third of children in Wales live in poverty.

“We all know that the Conservative UK Government’s welfare reform and austerity policies have had a devastating impact on our communities. But it is unforgivable that the Labour government in Wales has refused to take the practical steps available to it in to reduce the impact on Wales’ vulnerable families and protect them as much as they can. Plaid Cymru will continue to press the government to act for the sake of our communities, and I hope that it will begin to listen.”