That this Council notes that Universal Credit, the single monthly payment which replaces the six current working age benefits, is to be fully implemented in West Lancashire in December and that within our area this is likely to affect many of our residents.
That West Lancashire Borough Council notes with concern that the move to a Full Service Universal Credit in other parts of the Country has caused considerable financial hardship for many of those people moving onto this new system of benefit payments. Despite some changes in the recent budget, before a full role out of Universal Credit, the following problems need to be addressed:
· The five week wait for claimants to receive their benefits. The idea that all workers are in jobs where they are paid a month in arrears ignores the reality for the 1.5m workers who struggle on zero hours, insecure jobs or forced self-employment. Claimants need to be paid from day one.
· Payments going to one named member of a household. Many claimants struggle to budget and payments should be paid to the separate claimants within a household and on a fortnightly rather than monthly basis. With the present policy there is a real danger that if the whole benefit goes to one named individual there is no guarantee that the money will be distributed fairly within the household
· An end to benefit sanctions as there is no evidence that sanctioning helps people into work. In fact taking away claimant’s ability to feed themselves and their families prevents them from focusing on finding employment as they are too busy trying to survive. The evidence of the harm that sanctions cause is growing – they are an unnecessary cruelty in our benefits system. A claimant should not be sanctioned if the reason for any absence of lateness is proven and justifiable.
· Allow all new claimants to apply for Universal credit in jobs centres with the support of trained job centre staff. Forcing new claimants to apply on-line causes real problems for many people who don’t have either access or the IT skills to cope with the complex online application. The planned job centre closures also needs to be reversed as claimants need face to face support to help them back into work and to deal with the complexity of Universal Credit.
· Greater resource should be given to libraries, Citizens Advice and Jobcentres to allow trained persons to be present at these facilities to assist with applications.
· Abandon the in-work conditionality for part-time or low paid workers – the idea that there are extra hours or higher paid work for the large numbers of these affected workers is simply not the case. This clause of UC places the emphasis on individuals who often want greater number of hours of work – and not on the employers who benefit from short hours and insecurity.
That this Council notes with concern, that the implementation of a Full Service Universal Credit in the Borough is likely to prove seriously detrimental to the health and wellbeing of thousands of its local residents.
That the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions asking that the system of Universal Credit is redesigned in such a way that it removes the inherent risks that this Council has expressed its concerns over.
Minutes:
The following Motion was moved and seconded:
"That this Council notes that Universal Credit, the single monthly payment which replaces the six current working age benefits, is to be fully implemented in West Lancashire in December and that within our area this is likely to affect many of our residents.
That West Lancashire Borough Council notes with concern that the move to a Full Service Universal Credit in other parts of the Country has caused considerable financial hardship for many of those people moving onto this new system of benefit payments. Despite some changes in the recent budget, before a full role out of Universal Credit, the following problems need to be addressed:
· The five week wait for claimants to receive their benefits. The idea that all workers are in jobs where they are paid a month in arrears ignores the reality for the 1.5m workers who struggle on zero hours, insecure jobs or forced self-employment. Claimants need to be paid from day one.
· Payments going to one named member of a household. Many claimants struggle to budget and payments should be paid to the separate claimants within a household and on a fortnightly rather than monthly basis. With the present policy there is a real danger that if the whole benefit goes to one named individual there is no guarantee that the money will be distributed fairly within the household.
· An end to benefit sanctions as there is no evidence that sanctioning helps people into work. In fact taking away claimant’s ability to feed themselves and their families prevents them from focusing on finding employment as they are too busy trying to survive. The evidence of the harm that sanctions cause is growing – they are an unnecessary cruelty in our benefits system. A claimant should not be sanctioned if the reason for any absence of lateness is proven and justifiable.
· Allow all new claimants to apply for Universal credit in jobs centres with the support of trained job centre staff. Forcing new claimants to apply on-line causes real problems for many people who don’t have either access or the IT skills to cope with the complex online application. The planned job centre closures also needs to be reversed as claimants need face to face support to help them back into work and to deal with the complexity of Universal Credit.
· Greater resource should be given to libraries, Citizens Advice and Jobcentres to allow trained persons to be present at these facilities to assist with applications.
· Abandon the in-work conditionality for part-time or low paid workers – the idea that there are extra hours or higher paid work for the large numbers of these affected workers is simply not the case. This clause of UC places the emphasis on individuals who often want greater number of hours of work – and not on the employers who benefit from short hours and insecurity.
That this Council notes with concern, that the implementation of a Full Service Universal Credit in the Borough is likely to prove seriously detrimental to the health and wellbeing of thousands of its local residents.
That the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions asking that the system of Universal Credit is redesigned in such a way that it removes the inherent risks that this Council has expressed its concerns over."
RESOLVED: A. That this Council notes that Universal Credit, the single monthly payment which replaces the six current working age benefits, is to be fully implemented in West Lancashire in December and that within our area this is likely to affect many of our residents.
B. That West Lancashire Borough Council notes with concern that the move to a Full Service Universal Credit in other parts of the Country has caused considerable financial hardship for many of those people moving onto this new system of benefit payments. Despite some changes in the recent budget, before a full role out of Universal Credit, the following problems need to be addressed:
(i) The five week wait for claimants to receive their benefits. The idea that all workers are in jobs where they are paid a month in arrears ignores the reality for the 1.5m workers who struggle on zero hours, insecure jobs or forced self-employment. Claimants need to be paid from day one.
(ii) Payments going to one named member of a household. Many claimants struggle to budget and payments should be paid to the separate claimants within a household and on a fortnightly rather than monthly basis. With the present policy there is a real danger that if the whole benefit goes to one named individual there is no guarantee that the money will be distributed fairly within the household
(iii) An end to benefit sanctions as there is no evidence that sanctioning helps people into work. In fact taking away claimant’s ability to feed themselves and their families prevents them from focusing on finding employment as they are too busy trying to survive. The evidence of the harm that sanctions cause is growing – they are an unnecessary cruelty in our benefits system. A claimant should not be sanctioned if the reason for any absence of lateness is proven and justifiable.
(iv) Allow all new claimants to apply for Universal credit in jobs centres with the support of trained job centre staff. Forcing new claimants to apply on-line causes real problems for many people who don’t have either access or the IT skills to cope with the complex online application. The planned job centre closures also needs to be reversed as claimants need face to face support to help them back into work and to deal with the complexity of Universal Credit.
(v) Greater resource should be given to libraries, Citizens Advice and Jobcentres to allow trained persons to be present at these facilities to assist with applications.
(vi) Abandon the in-work conditionality for part-time or low paid workers – the idea that there are extra hours or higher paid work for the large numbers of these affected workers is simply not the case. This clause of UC places the emphasis on individuals who often want greater number of hours of work – and not on the employers who benefit from short hours and insecurity.
C. That this Council notes with concern, that the implementation of a Full Service Universal Credit in the Borough is likely to prove seriously detrimental to the health and wellbeing of thousands of its local residents.
D. That the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions asking that the system of Universal Credit is redesigned in such a way that it removes the inherent risks that this Council has expressed its concerns over.
(Note: Councillor Savage declared a Pecuniary Interest and left the room whilst this item was under consideration.)