▼ Found 38 entries
28 Nov 2023
Q&A

Victoria S

What did you make of the Autumn Statement?

It really just proves how much my government really hates me and people like me. That were little more than undesirable burdens on the state for disabilities and illnesses that we didn't ask for just goes to show how dangerous a place the world is for anyone who doesn't fit into a very narrow type of person. It's dehumanising and dangerously hurtful.

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25 Nov 2023
Q&A

Ana Q

What did you make of the Autumn Statement?

Chancellor's this week budget statement make me hopeful. We are low income family and need extra cash to run our family well. I will be directly affected by his benefit cut as having long term chronic illness and unable to go back to work. Chancellor should understand the circumstances of people like me.

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25 Nov 2023
Q&A

Ed I

What did you make of the Autumn Statement?

I am optimistic that cut down in NI contribution and increase basic pay will help us keep some extra cash on our hand. This extra cash we can use to cover our living cost shortfall and help to pay the utility bills. But worried about the strict guidelines for people who not going back to work and stop their benefits. Government should consider every people's situation and decide of their benefit entitlement.

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16 Sep 2023
Q&A

Ed I

What would it mean for you and your family, if benefits didn’t increase in line with inflation in April?

We are already under pressure to run family. Top of that if benefits not increase then we have nowhere to go. Government should take care of its citizens by providing them the quality of life that they deserve in civilised society.

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16 Jul 2023
Diary

Dotty G

Having been on UC for a while, I have noticed that there are often times that when an employer asks for experience in the field in question, it is some times hard to get some, especially if you have been unemployed for some time.

Furthermore, I've even found that getting into voluntary work within my chosen field of work, has been just as challenging as getting the actual job itself because there are so many other people wanting to get the work experience that I need also.

😐
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16 Jul 2023
Q&A

Dotty G

Do you feel able to plan for the future?

I used to plan for the future a lot, especially when I was younger and had the optimism of youth.

However, to be honest, as time has gone by, and I've seen how sometimes the people we look up to in society, like some of our politicians, break some of the promises that they make to us, I became less optimistic, and now just take each day as it comes, and hence now, very rarely plan for the future, because too much can change by then, especially as our world has becone more and more volitile.

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29 Apr 2023
Q&A

Ed I

What changes are needed to support more people who want to get into and progress in work?

There are a robust changes needed to attract more people in to workforce. Firstly benefit system needed to change. Current benefit system discourage people to go to work or to do more extra work. The benefit system needed to support those people who are at work or want to do more work by providing extra support. Secondly zero hour contract needed to be withdraw from employment contract. Employee needs at least permanent contract with fixed hours. Lastly more flexible hours of working and various employee benefits will attract more people back to work and retain them at work.

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5 Apr 2023
Diary

Lexie H

I have managed to stretch to a small Easter egg each for the boys it means that a chunk of food budget is gone but I can’t see them miss out on something else and I know they will be so happy. Having them home for Easter holiday is brilliant in that it is saving fuel in the car but wow are these kids hungry all the time so I’m having to supply 4 extra lunches a day and all the snacks so I’m not saving anything. I have started using oats and pulses to bulk out most of the food but it isn’t really touching the sides 4 growing lads can eat.

😐
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31 Mar 2023
Q&A

Jen T

What do the planned changes in the budget mean to you and your family?

I don’t really think that the budget has had any impact at all on my family. Things are still bad and there is no getting better anytime soon. Things are not looking good.

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31 Mar 2023
Diary

Jen T

Well at least it’s getting warmer and that means I won’t have to worry about the heating. Still have the worry about everything else though. Trying hard to find a positive.

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26 Mar 2023
Q&A

Ed I

Are you affected by conditionality, and what does this mean for you?

Conditionality should be a criteria or eligibility for getting benefits. But this needs to weighed with circumstances. In this living cost crisis, lots of people are not meeting conditionality for benefits but they actually need help of government. Government should have contingency plan to provide emergency support for vulnerable people which necessarily need not to meet the conditionality. Otherwise these vulnerable people will go out of government help and go starving and risk of mental sickness which ultimately burden government. So, it is better to ease the conditionality for getting benefits for all who are in need to help them to save public money.

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26 Mar 2023
Q&A

Ed I

What do the planned changes in the budget mean to you and your family?

I think it will help low income family like me to save some money and open the gate for more earnings. Government introduced these changes by hoping to boost employment, education, enterprise and everywhere of economic growth that's needed. Introducing 30 hours of free childcare helps parents back to work. Benefits reform will help inactive people back to workforce. Work coaches will help those who are long-term sick and disabled into work. This also help Universal Credit claimants back to work who were out of work.

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