Benefits

Cruel firms tell benefit claimants to get therapy or lose cash

23 June 2015
Workfare contractors’ proposals to bring ‘positive thinking’ into job centres is about blaming unemployed people for their own plight, writes Dave Sewell

Tory queen’s speech sees new attacks on the poor

02 June 2015
The Tories have unveiled plans to push up poverty, increase evictions and sell off more public services—and that’s only the start of their assault.

After five years attacking the poor, the Tories are back for more

19 May 2015
The new Tory minister for disabled people is against protecting benefits for cancer patients and disabled children.

News in brief

05 May 2015
Short news stories from the past week including deaths due to cuts to be investigated, Britain 24th in State of the World's Mothers report, and two deaths in custody.

24 March 2015
Short news stories from the past week including MPs on the impact of benefit sanctions, the privatisation racket on the railways continues, public inquiry report on tainted blood scandal and IPCC to release report on Mark Duggan death

Sanctions protests target Tories and Labour

24 March 2015
Protesters gathered outside job centres across Britain on Thursday of last week to speak out against benefit sanctions.

Resist Tory lies over benefits as day of action fights against sanctions

17 March 2015
I’m waiting for a letter, and it’s terrifying. Like thousands of other people hit by the bedroom tax and other benefit cuts, I rely on a discretionary housing payment (DHP) from the council.

One law for the rich

24 February 2015
The latest MPs’ scandal shows that there’s one law for the rich and another for the rest.

No to Tory scapegoating of benefit claimants

17 February 2015
The Tories are attacking people on benefits in a vicious campaign to grab votes. Their “welfare week” involved scapegoating one group after another.

The state creates vicious drama of benefits raids

17 February 2015
Dave Sewell examines how the government aims at turning people against the most vulnerable

Reports round-up

16 December 2014
Benefit cap; teenage homelessness; nuclear power plant failures; and court to rule on midwives and abortion case

Benefit cuts are leaving people hungry

25 November 2014
Attacks on welfare are forcing thousands of people to use food banks, a new report says.

News in brief

16 September 2014
Homeless prisoners | Benefit justice | Cops let off by bosses

Tories suffer defeat over bedroom tax

09 September 2014
The government was humiliated as it lost a vote on the bedroom tax last week. A private members’ bill from a Lib Dem backbencher got support from 304 MPs to 267.

Protest against Tory attacks on benefit claimants

09 September 2014
Campaigners were set to target major job centres and government buildings in a day of action against benefit sanctions on Thursday of this week.

Killing the bedroom tax can help us beat other attacks on benefits

26 August 2014
Benefit cuts are causing misery and despair—but we should be confident about fighting back, argues Eileen Short

New attacks lie behind Tory talk of protecting 'the family'

19 August 2014
The government’s aim to look at how policy affects the family is pure hypocrisy, writes Sadie Robinson

Woman dies after benefits cut off - but Tory calls for new attacks

12 August 2014
Annette Francis was owed hundreds of pounds due to the backlog caused by the government's move from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment. An inquest heard that the financial pressure led to her committing suicide. Now Work and Pensions Secretary Ian Duncan Smith is calling for even harsher changes to the benefit system.

Lib Dems attempt face-saving U-turn on bedroom tax

22 July 2014
The coalition might have hoped to bury a new report on the impact of the bedroom tax by releasing it on the same day as a headline-grabbing reshuffle.

Barnsley freedom riders return unbowed

30 June 2014
More than 100 people joined a freedom ride protest in Barnsley today, Monday. Disabled people, pensioners and their supporters gathered to lobby a meeting of the South Yorkshire Transport Executive.