An amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill, that is currently winding its way through Parliament, was passed in the House of Lords, last night. This amendment, was tabled by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds and was supported by other bishops, Labour peers, so-called cross bench peers (said to be independents) and Liberal Democrat peers. The amendment sought to exclude Child Benefit (a universal welfare benefit paid to all parents of children), from the total benefits cap of £26,000 that the government is seeking to set.
£26,000, is the average gross pay of a UK worker - i.e. before taxes and national insurance (social security) are deducted!
One of the main reasons for a high cap is that 'Housing Benefit' is included. This is where the rent for housing welfare claimants is also paid as part of their welfare package. In certain parts of the UK, (particularly London and the South East) this rent can run into more than £1,000 (in some cases up to £2,000) per week.
Labour is in such a mess that it is not difficult to understand their peers voting for the measure and opposing the Government. The Labour Party say they support a cap but don't want to hurt vulnerable people! The reason they say they support the cap is that poll evidence shows that there is overwhelming public support for a cap on benefits. So Labour saying two opposite things at once is to be expected.
The Lib Dem peers showed that their idea of participating in a coalition differs from what any sane or normal person would consider as right. Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said that the Bill, in its current form was 'totally unacceptable'. So we can presumably expect more whining and disloyalty from that quarter.
The Bishops used to be called 'the Conservative Party at prayer'. That was a very long time ago. Some of them, having ditched God and the Holy Trinity have now also been joined by others and moved wholeheartedly to the Labour Party!
The Bishops represent the Church of England
Surely now is the time for this irrelevance to be dis-established and put on the same footing as the other religions in the UK?
This week's YouGov poll, in the Sunday Times, showed that among the public, 88% of Conservative supporters, 69% of Labour supporters and 66% of Lib Dem supporters, support a cap on benefits. Overall, the support for a cap was 76%, with just 9% opposing..
The same poll found that 59% believe that the cap should be £26,000 or less and 36% think it should be less than £20,000
The UK Sunday Times reported this week, on a family from Somalia that arrived in Britain, three years ago and have never worked. They initially lived in Coventry, in the West Midlands, where house rentals are much less expensive than in the South East but then wanted to move to London 'to be nearer their extended family.' So they were re-housed in the very chic and up-market West Hampstead suburb, in a six bedroom property, which is estimated to cost around £4,800 a month to rent. This is the rent that is then paid as housing benefit on top of all of the other benefits that they receive
Housing Benefit has increased, from the 2008/9 figure of £15.6 billion to £20.5 billion in 2010/11 an increase of 31% - this when property values have declined!
We are being taken for a ride and paying a very heavy price for the dubious privilege and the UK Bishops support our pockets being picked!
Do remember! The cap is at the level of Average UK wage. Somebody on the Average UK wage, would simply not be able to live at the same standard as someone on the cap, let alone someone claiming more than the cap. Now you can see why work doesn't pay!
£26,000, is the average gross pay of a UK worker - i.e. before taxes and national insurance (social security) are deducted!
One of the main reasons for a high cap is that 'Housing Benefit' is included. This is where the rent for housing welfare claimants is also paid as part of their welfare package. In certain parts of the UK, (particularly London and the South East) this rent can run into more than £1,000 (in some cases up to £2,000) per week.
Labour is in such a mess that it is not difficult to understand their peers voting for the measure and opposing the Government. The Labour Party say they support a cap but don't want to hurt vulnerable people! The reason they say they support the cap is that poll evidence shows that there is overwhelming public support for a cap on benefits. So Labour saying two opposite things at once is to be expected.
The Lib Dem peers showed that their idea of participating in a coalition differs from what any sane or normal person would consider as right. Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said that the Bill, in its current form was 'totally unacceptable'. So we can presumably expect more whining and disloyalty from that quarter.
The Bishops used to be called 'the Conservative Party at prayer'. That was a very long time ago. Some of them, having ditched God and the Holy Trinity have now also been joined by others and moved wholeheartedly to the Labour Party!
The Bishops represent the Church of England
- The same CofE that is a very large landowner in the UK.
- The same CofE that rents out a very large number of properties to private tenants and charges them market rents.
- The same CofE that is said to pay the average parish vicar considerably less than the average UK salary of £26,000
Surely now is the time for this irrelevance to be dis-established and put on the same footing as the other religions in the UK?
- How can the Bishops fly in the face of overwhelming public opinion?
- Will they and the Church Commissioners, use their ample resources to fill the gap that their actions have the potential to create?
- Will they declare how much they receive in rents from tenants that are in receipt of housing benefit?
This week's YouGov poll, in the Sunday Times, showed that among the public, 88% of Conservative supporters, 69% of Labour supporters and 66% of Lib Dem supporters, support a cap on benefits. Overall, the support for a cap was 76%, with just 9% opposing..
The same poll found that 59% believe that the cap should be £26,000 or less and 36% think it should be less than £20,000
The UK Sunday Times reported this week, on a family from Somalia that arrived in Britain, three years ago and have never worked. They initially lived in Coventry, in the West Midlands, where house rentals are much less expensive than in the South East but then wanted to move to London 'to be nearer their extended family.' So they were re-housed in the very chic and up-market West Hampstead suburb, in a six bedroom property, which is estimated to cost around £4,800 a month to rent. This is the rent that is then paid as housing benefit on top of all of the other benefits that they receive
Housing Benefit has increased, from the 2008/9 figure of £15.6 billion to £20.5 billion in 2010/11 an increase of 31% - this when property values have declined!
We are being taken for a ride and paying a very heavy price for the dubious privilege and the UK Bishops support our pockets being picked!
Do remember! The cap is at the level of Average UK wage. Somebody on the Average UK wage, would simply not be able to live at the same standard as someone on the cap, let alone someone claiming more than the cap. Now you can see why work doesn't pay!
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