17th January, 2021.
News …
News is a funny old thing, sometimes.
Others? Slightly less hysterical …
As you may or may not know, people in the UK on Universal Credit in the UK — me, included — have received a twenty pound a week extra payment: introduced last April, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
It’s due to end in April, 2021.
Frankly? I’m not looking forward to that: it’ll make life a lot harder.
But both the Guardian, and Radio 4’s news service, tell us that there will be a non-binding vote in Parliament, tomorrow: about ending the extra money.
One that’s little more than a protest vote.
Even given that? I hope it goes against the Government: I’d like to see the Government take note of it.
I’m fairly sure Boris Johnson probably won’t.
At a committee meeting last Wednesday? He said: “And I think most people in this country want to see a focus on jobs and growth in wages than on welfare, but clearly we have to keep all of these things under review.”
Keeping it reviewed is a good idea, obviously: I completely understand that the Government wants to spend as little as possible.
But?
I’ve heard a lot of Conservative ministers say similar things.
Without acknowledging one simple fact.
The amount I, and others, get as a benefit has little to do with whether an employer offers me a job.
~≈£≈~
There’s something else, as well …
There’s been talk — talk, mind — that the Government’s having … disagreements … about that uplift.
About whether it should be kept … or replaced.
It seems that — according to a couple of reports I’ve read — Chancellor Rishi Sunak wants to introduce a five hundred pound bonus as a substitute for the uplift.
As a prepaid debit card, in combination with a mobile phone app, if the Guardian is to be believed.
Hmmm …
There’s a technology issue, there.
How are those of us with no smart phones supposed to access that app?
There’s other issues, I think.
Or questions, at least.
Can I use it to pay for a mobile phone top up? On my gas or electricity bills? My rent? My council tax?
Going by the Guardian article, no. I could only use it for ‘face to face’ retail transactions … or in hospitality venues.
It’s of limited use, in other words.
I’m not saying a one-off £500 voucher wouldn’t be useful.
I think a £500 one-off cash payment would be preferable: as I could put it towards far more payments.
Either of them?
Are far less use than a permanent twenty pound a week increase in my Universal Credit payment.
~≈£≈~
