11 November 2010
Welfare proposals fail to take account of the reality of poverty, say Churches
Christian organisations have warned that the Government's
welfare proposals are based on a lack of understanding of the poor.
They argue that constructive reforms are at risk of being lost
under a wave of punitive measures and cost-cutting.
The Methodist Church, the Church of Scotland, the United Reformed
Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Housing Justice and
Church Action on Poverty have welcomed plans for a simplified
benefits system, but have raised concerns that the proposed reforms
are based on inaccurate assumptions about the poor.
"There is a serious danger that people living in poverty will be
stigmatised by government announcements that imply they are lazy or
work-shy," said Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist
Conference. "The Government seems to assume that if people are
forced into working they will comply and their lives will be made
better. The poor we meet are seeking to better their lives in
difficult circumstances. They are willing to work, but face
difficulties in finding jobs, in meeting caring responsibilities
and in living on the wages offered."
"People who are long-term unemployed are already struggling to find
work in a market place where there is increasing pressure on both
the public and private sectors," added Alison Gelder, Director of
Housing Justice. "Some need help to develop the skills to find and
keep a regular job. What they do not need are punitive measures
such as the proposed cut in housing benefit by 10% after a year out
of work. Most of all, they should not be forced to do manual labour
in return for their benefits for just £1.73 an hour - £4.20 below
the current adult minimum wage."
The group argues that Government welfare policy needs to be based
on a realistic assessment of those living in poverty and what they
really need to get back into the work force. They are concerned
that policy should not be based on a skewed figures and a
misunderstanding of the poor.
Revd Graham Sparkes, Head of Faith and Unity for the Baptist Union
of Great Britain said: "We meet people on a daily basis who are
experiencing long term unemployment. Unemployment, especially in an
area where there are few jobs available, damages a person's
self-confidence, health and ability to survive life's knocks. The
Government needs to understand what people in poverty need in order
to return to work. It's not good enough to just tell people to
'pull their socks up'."
Niall Cooper, National Coordinator of Church Action on Poverty,
said "We ask that the government to talk to people in poverty and
base their policies on combating the problems they face daily. Iain
Duncan Smith should come to one of our listening events, where
people struggling to make ends meet tell their stories. Simplistic
solutions such as benefit cuts, telling people to get on a bus to
find work, and enforced labour would face a harsh reality
check."
On 28 October a group of Churches and Christian agencies wrote to
David Cameron asking him to set the public record straight after
Chancellor George Osborn conflated figures for benefit fraud and
error during his speech on the Comprehensive Spending Review,
claiming that there is three times as much fraud as shown by
government figures.