Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

T----Surely if they are crooks then the police would be called in to investigate and interview the persons concerned, just like Tony Blair was during the cash for honours scandal in 2006.
2517

2517 no the police can not be called in crooks can mean a lot of things
they have robbed pensioners disabled via lies they got elected on lies
what have this gov done on tax fiddles NOTHING ONLY TALK
immigration is out of control the nhs is buckling due to immigrants
who have paid fcuk all in to the system
a gov of liars filling their own pockets buying shares via family
members .

Update: Labour lead at 5

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 18th July - Con 33%, Lab 38%, LD 11%, UKIP 11%;

2517,

I think Cameron and crew are prepared to attempt brazen out anything which appears "dubious".

As the con party is so terrified of UKIP and what it will do to them at the next election they wish to postpone the next election (fixed date) as long as possible and introduce populist policies in an attempt to placate their right wing and some of the public.

The problem they have is when the general public sees the effects of those policies. (12-15 months away.)

Also, I would guess that the last thing the labour party want at the moment is an "election", until they resolve said "relationships" with the unions.

I have a "feeling" that Miliband is shrewder than many credit. The problem he has is regrouping before the next election and appearing credible.

Also, I think, that would be the position of the Lib/dems, who are living in hope and don't want an election until the can separate themselves from the coalition and not be seen as an extension of the left wing tory party.

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The number of enquiries which are ending in the long grass, even to somebody as cynical as myself, seems amazing.

I would hope, but doubt it will happen for a long time is introduction of proportional representation, reduction of no of MP and reduction in the number in House of Lords, making them elected and appointed, but making, that body, advisory only. (In one way the latter already applies.)
-----------------

And Hays you still haven't answered the questions.

They are simple, why the avoidance?

Didn't you say you had a finger in Yougov once upon a time.

Is that their problem with their data analysis.

8-)

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Increasingly' the public are liking the government's policies. By the election, the deficit will be cut more, the economy will be better, the popular benefits cap will be working well. Labour will still be in confusion. The Conservatives should walk it.

What about the DEBT?????????????????????

I hope the walk is long and the pier short.

PS.

And Hays you still haven't answered the questions.

They are simple, why the avoidance?

Why on earth would I feel it necessary to answer your questions?

off for the weekend to Barcelona .have a nice weekend all

Fred hes a moron he wont answer you in fact ive heard Hays first name is Gordon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTKORcr1jhY

TANKER have a lovely weekend.

I see goldfinger's medication is wearing off a bit early today.

Bedroom Tax’ Puts Added Burden On Disabled People

Jul16th
20133 Comments Written by wns_admin


This article titled “‘Bedroom tax’ puts added burden on disabled people” was written by Frances Ryan, for The Guardian on Tuesday 16th July 2013 15.00 UTC

Nine in 10 disabled people are being forced to cut back on food or paying household bills after being refused emergency housing payments to help them pay the “bedroom tax”, research has found.

The report by the disability charity Papworth Trust shows that almost one in three disabled applicants are being rejected for discretionary housing payments (DHPs) from the government fund intended to provide assistance to housing benefit claimants who are unable to pay a shortfall in their rent.

Almost two-thirds of people affected by the loss of housing benefit on rooms deemed to be “spare” are disabled. DHPs were widely promoted by the government as protecting people with disabilities from the worst effects of its under-occupation charge, which was introduced in April. Yet disabled people are no more likely to be given an emergency housing payment than non-disabled people, the research found, even if they live in adapted properties.

David Martin, strategy director at the Papworth Trust, says: “The government asked councils to prioritise people with disabilities and long-term health conditions when deciding who should get emergency payments. This simply isn’t happening.”

Short-term help

Paul and Sue Rutherford had hoped to be awarded a DHP at least for short-term help in making up the £13.50 a week they are losing for having a third bedroom. Though disabled themselves – Paul has a lung condition while Sue has chronic depression – they are full-time carers to their grandson. Warren, 13, has a rare chromosome disorder. He is unable to walk or talk, cannot feed himself, and is doubly incontinent. Their house in west Wales is purpose-built for his needs, with ceiling hoists, wide doorways, a wet room and a third bedroom that allows a carer to stay at weekends when Paul and Sue need respite. Last month, however, the family were rejected for a DHP because the county council judged they had excess income of £99 a week.

“I wish [that were true],” says Paul. “Pembrokeshire county council has included at least the majority of Warren’s [disability living allowance, DLA] care component [in that calculation].”

Martin explains: “When calculating people’s income, councils are including DLA to help them sift the sheer volume of deserving applications for these emergency payments.” However, he says this goes against the advice of the work and pensions minister, Steve Webb, who has told councils to “disregard income from disability-related benefits, as they are intended to be used to help pay for the extra costs of disability“.

Richard Hawkes, chief executive of the disability charity Scope, says the majority of people affected by the bedroom tax are disabled. “The government has repeatedly referred to a discretionary fund to support those hit by this cut. But we know that this money is not getting to disabled people,” he says.

The consequences of this failure need to be considered in light of wider financial pressures on disabled people, says Hawkes. “The fact is that, in 2013, disabled people are struggling to make ends meet. Life costs more if you’re disabled, but living costs are spiralling, income is flatlining [and disabled people] are also facing huge cuts to support that they need.”

The Department for Work and Pensions says reform of housing benefit in the social sector is essential, and that it is monitoring the changes closely. “We are giving local authorities £150m discretionary housing payment funding this year to support vulnerable people, including £25m to help people who live in accommodation that has been adapted for their disabilities,” a DWP spokesman says. “Disability benefits are disregarded when calculating housing benefit entitlement, and where that income is clearly earmarked for care and mobility costs local authorities should disregard it in DHP applications.”

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, describes the bedroom tax as “an unfair, unworkable policy that should be repealed”. He says: “How can we ask vulnerable and disabled people to eat or drink less, heat their home less or cut back on medical expenses? The government says discretionary housing payments will protect them, but the Papworth Trust findings make it clear that this temporary measure isn’t even a short-term solution.”

Pembrokeshire county council says it has received “a significant number of applications” for DHPs and that every one is considered on its merits. A council spokeswoman says: “In cases where the customer or a member of their household is confined to a wheelchair and resides in a property that is purpose-built or specifically adapted to meet the needs of their disability … the council will only reject an application for a DHP when it appears that the customer has an excess of income over expenditure and is therefore able to meet the rent shortfall. At the customer’s request we will review, with them, their income and expenditure to ensure the figures submitted to us are accurate.”


guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Published via the Guardian News Feed plugin for WordPress.

Nasty Nasty crooked TORY government.

GO ON FRED KEEP ASKING THE QUESTION UNTIL HE ANSWERS...........

There is no such thing as the 'bedroom tax', which is why it is shown in quotes in the article above. It is a sensible system to cut housing benefits for people with housing that is too big for them. It is also a very popular policy.

I see Cameron and Boris are both at the cricket. It looks like being a good game.

Well it may inform about why you support the actions of Cameron's U-turn on reducing advertising of cigarettes possibly on the advice of his mat Crosby.

Condemned by the Medical profession, but welcomed by the undertakers.

It stinks.

Lazy b------ds.

They should be working to get the country out of the mess they are creating.

I hope they paid for the admissions.

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Mind Cameron is claiming the financial success as a con party success.

He is a brazen liar and poser.

"It would be rude to call the benefit numbers flakey. But most economists would say they were deeply speculative, at best.

The point is not that the Games didn't bring economic benefits - it would be hard for something that cost roughly £9bn not to have any economic benefits.