The government hates us

Just read that the threshold for a couple to earn with Universal Credit has been raised to £1,437 a month. This means if you earn less than that between you the Jobcentre will pressure you to look for more work.

I'm suffering autistic burnout, my son is profoundly autistic and requires a high level of care. We also have a baby daughter. My wife and I cobble together enough hours between us to meet the existing threshold and still care for my son's needs and give me time to recover from my burnout. 

Now we won't be able to meet the threshold and finding enough work to earn a grand and a half is nearly impossible for us

This is at the same time as all the much publicised attacks on PIP

Also read today that the Home Secretary wanted to make homelessness a criminal offence and give police the power to fine homeless people for "smelling".

Honestly, I'm surprised they haven't announced plans to exterminate us all yet 

  • ah i looked it up and your right. they just badly chose words that made it sound like it means what i thought it meant.... perhaps that bad choice of wording is on purpose to make people think what i thought to which then seems reasonable. basically they dressed it up to stealth it out and make it look acceptable.

  • I do find the timing of these things worrying, they must think these things likely to win them votes

    They're targeting Reform voters. They're worried about Reform further eroding their vote share. Latest voter intention polling puts Reform at around 11%, slightly ahead of the Lib Dems. The government wants those votes.

    It's a risky strategy, because it appeals to pretty much nobody else. 

  • for them to leave you alone

    ......don't worry too much Billy......let's face it, we are all VERY well used to being badgered by various asshats, a lot of the time.  Being autistic is not easy, but we generally get through OK.  If you can, try and put this concern on your back-burner whilst you concentrate on recovering from the burnout.  I save some of my concerns and problems up for rainy days !

  • I think they beleive that the ignorant and reactionary on Twitter and idiots who read tabloid newspapers might vote for them if they appear to be "tough" on benefits

    Sadly, thats more important to them than peoples wellbeing

  • Sadly that isnt what it means. What it means is that if you earning less than £1,437 as a couple then you will be expected to find more work and come under pressure to attend job centre appointments and prove you are looking for more work on top of your current job or risk losing your benefits. 

    It doesnt mean that benefits stop at £1,437, it means that thats the minimum you have to earn for them to leave you alone

  • erm... isnt this a good thing?

    i think you read it wrong... if they increase the threshold of how much you can earn while claiming universal credit it doesnt mean you have to earn that much to be able to claim it... it means it increases how much you can earn before it stops... its a good thing... if its lower then it means you cant claim if you earn above it.... it would be bad if they decreased the threshold, you understand this way?

    if the threshold was 1k ...then if you earn over 1k you cant claim universal credit

    they increased it to 1.5k.... so it gives you more room and makes it easier to claim and makes more people able to claim.... its a good thing, they are giving and widening the amount you can earn, if you earned more than the threshold you wouldnt be allowed it, if they increased the threshold it means they are making it so you can earn more before being branded not eligable....

    its a good thing, decreasing would be a bad thing.... if you earned more than it youd not be eligable. you dont need to worry, unless they decrease it below what you earn. you dont have to earn up that that amount.... you need to be up to it or beneath it, if you was up to it and over it your at risk of being kicked off, thats why increasing it is a good thing, so theres more room for you to earn without losing. if you dont increase earnings theres no need to worry.

  • Also too long car/house alarms. And so many other things...

  • would like to see fines for excessive use of perfume or aftershave! B

    I would like to see fines for security lights which are too bright. I don't know how one would measure this though. Unnecessary!

  • It is hard to put things to one side like this sort of information when you haven't got the reserves to adequately deal with the every day like looking after yourself and family. Low spoons = low processing. The current party in charge of our government with such weak leadership are desperate for votes in the upcoming election.  They will say and come up with anything to get votes. I suspect these tactics will increase right up until the GE. I agree with Autriker below about inflicting damage but I think a lot of it is rhetoric.

  • I just signed a 38 degrees petition against this.

    I do find the timing of these things worrying, they must think these things likely to win them votes rather than making people not vote for them! Either that or they think they can't win so they want to inflict as much damage as possible before going.

    As for fines against "smelling" I would like to see fines for excessive use of perfume or aftershave! But it seems at least that part of it has been scrapped.