Long-term unemployed people could be barred from using welfare payments to buy alcohol, cigarettes or gamble under plans being launched by the Conservatives.
uncertain
people → bar → Conservatives
The proposals would also reduce Universal Credit payments for claimants who have not made consistent contributions to the welfare system through taxation.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the current system was “unfair to workers”.
After six months, the full payment would be restricted to claimants who had made sufficient contributions to the welfare system through taxes over a number of years.
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who → reduce → years
Those who did not meet the threshold would see their standard Universal Credit payment cut by a third.
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payment → meet → third
The reduced payment would be transferred to a “back to work” pre-payment card, which would prevent spending on cigarettes, alcohol, betting and cash withdrawals.
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which → reduce → cigarettes
Mrs Badenoch said: “Some will say this is unfair on people claiming benefits.
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this → say → benefits
What is unfair is a system where someone who can work chooses not to and earns more from benefits than someone in a job.
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who → work → job
“If you can work, you should work.
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you → work → ?
Helping people into work is not punishment.
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Helping → help → work
The best welfare is a well-paid job.
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welfare → pay → ?
So, we will be tough on those who exploit the system because the current system is unfair to workers, taxpayers and those who truly need support.
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who → exploit → support
We should not be borrowing from our children and grandchildren to support people who simply refuse to work.
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who → borrow → people
“Welfare must be a safety net for those who genuinely need it, not a lifestyle choice for those who can’t be bothered.”
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who → need → those
The party sought to justify its plans by suggesting it was unfair for taxpayers to shoulder the costs of long-term jobless benefits claimants.
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taxpayers → seek → claimants
Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said: “We cannot go on like this – with millions of people living on benefits instead of in work.
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millions → say → work
Britain can’t afford it.
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Britain → afford → it
It’s not fair on taxpayers footing the bill.
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It → ’ → bill
For people living on the breadline, work, not benefits, is the way out of poverty.
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work → live → poverty
“A strong country needs people to work and contribute.
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people → need → ?
But Labour have made it easier to claim and harder to get a job.
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it → make → job
“We believe that if you can work, you should.
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you → believe → ?
And work should always pay better than benefits.
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work → pay → benefits
Our plan gives people a safety net and a clear incentive to get a job.
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plan → give → job
“Welfare should recognise the contribution people make through years of work.
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people → recognise → work
We know people can fall on hard times.
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people → know → times
What you’ve paid in should make a difference to the support you get.
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you → pay → support
Under the plans, every two years a UC claimant has worked would buy them an extra year on the full rate of the benefit.
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claimant → work → benefit
The so-called subsistence rate available to those who have not contributed enough would be worth 70p for every pound of the full rate.
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who → call → rate
Those on the subsistence rate would be given a pre-payment card to access their benefits.
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Those → give → benefits
This could be used to buy food and other everyday essentials, and pay for bills.
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This → use → bills
But it would prevent users from buying alcohol, cigarettes, placing bets or withdrawing cash.
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it → prevent → cash
People who are off sick, who are disabled, or who are claiming UC while in work, would be exempt and unaffected by the plans.
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who → disable → plans
Further plans for welfare reform are likely to be revealed at the Conservative party conference later this month.
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plans → reveal → conference
Robert Jenrick, Reform’s Treasury spokesman, said the Tories’ plan will not put a dent in the benefit bill.
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plan → say → bill
“This welfare plan is so weak the Lib Dems could have authored it,” he said.
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he → author → it
“The Tories left more people on long-term benefits and benefit fraud at record levels.
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Tories → leave → levels
“Now they offer a spending card that won’t even put a dent in the coming £400 billion bill.
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that → offer → bill
It’s a sticking plaster on a wound they opened.
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they → ’ → wound
“Kemi’s latest decision to let the permanently unemployed go on claiming forever is tantamount to stabbing workers in the back.”
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unemployed → let → back
Meanwhile, Labour suggested the blame for problems in the welfare system lay with the Tories.
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blame → suggest → Tories
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Conservatives had 14 years to fix our welfare system but they completely failed to make meaningful reforms.
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they → say → reforms
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
