VIEW, Issue two, 2012


Page 13


PREVIEW: In next month’s issue of VIEW we talk to Rathbone’s Colin Fanning about the work that his organisation does in talking to and helping out teenagers in west and north Belfast


‘Government spin is pitting those who are in work against those who are not’


People in Northern Ireland will be among those hardest hit by the biggest changes to the social security system in 60 years. As a major conference on welfare reform is due to take place next month in Belfast, Una Murphy sounds out opinion


year-and-a-half.” She said the spin was pitting those in work against those who are not – but the reality was different: “The cuts will harm a lot of people who are in work – tax credits for people who are working. Housing benefit for those who are on low wages who need help with their housing costs.” Professor Evason said that in particular there has


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Northern Ireland will be hit harder than any region in the UK, apart from London. A larger proportion of the population here have disabilities, so more people will be affected by a tighter test for eligibil- ity to benefits.


Great Britain – such as the government’s work programme. This scheme was introduced across the water last year and is not expected to be in- troduced to Northern Ireland until at least April 2013.


ously for welfare reforms which recognise local cir- cumstances.”


tunity Youth, said the community and voluntary sector must lobby hard in order to ensure protec- tion for those likely to suffer the most from the proposals. “It will have a disproportionate effect on North-


ern Ireland, hitting women, children and the dis- abled hardest. It will plunge so many people into poverty and it must be resisted.”


Anne-Marie McClure, chief executive of Oppor- He added: “There is a need to campaign vigor- He pointed to differences between here and


been a “disgraceful” campaign against disabled peo- ple – so much so that the Department of Work and Pensions had been criticised by a House of Commons Select Committee. Law Centre director Les Allamby said incomes in


t is the government spin that really annoys Eileen Evason: “An avalanche of propaganda which Goebbels would have been proud off in the last


difference to people’s lives. If our MLAs don’t unite and fight against this punitive bill then they will have failed our people greatly” she said. Professor Evason said that local politicians must think creatively. “Politicians here have to bring in welfare reform but what can they do to diminish the pain?” Ms Evason added: “I would like to see creative thinking. Think creatively about keeping people in employment in the public sector and avoiding compulsory redundancies,” she said. With the Bill on welfare reform set to come be-


“Devolution was supposed to be about making a


fore the Assembly sometime after St Patrick’s Day, the voluntary and community sector will be scruti- nising the actions of Stormont’s politicians for “cre- ative thinking” to provide a shield for Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable citizens.


A need to campaign: Les Allamby A number of key concerns raised


THE centrepiece of the government’s welfare reform is universal credit which will replace a wide range of existing means-tested benefits and tax credits for people of working age, starting from 2013. Benefits to any one family will be capped at about £26,000 Professor Eileen Evason has highlighted some of the concerns about universal credit: • Fears that the government is using the introduction of universal credit to cut provision for adults and children with disability. • There is enormous concern that the benefit will be paid to main earners-


transferring substantial amounts from women to men. •There is also concern that rents will not be paid to third parties and univer- sal credit will be paid monthly. These are massive changes. •There are questions around the ex- tent to which there will actually be a simplification of the system with the introduction of universal credit. •Behind the single term “universal credit” there will be the same dense thickets of regulations governing access which will depend on whether the claims is made on the basis of incapac- ity for work, unemployment etc


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