by Robin Thorpe
Earlier this week George Osborne stated that “this month, around nine out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the changes we are making”.
The BBC report on this speech (before it happened, which frankly annoys me, why can’t politicians just give a speech and have it reported after the event? Why must it be released beforehand?) states that;
“This month saw the start of sweeping changes across public services including reform of the benefits system.
Mr Osborne argues that the government has had to take difficult decisions to cut the deficit and the current benefits system is fundamentally “broken”.
Changes include:
- The introduction of a £26,000 cap on the amount of benefits a household can receive
- A cut to housing benefit for working-age social housing tenants whose property is deemed to be larger than they need
- Disability living allowance replaced by personal independence payment
- Working-age benefits and tax credits uprated by 1% – a below-inflation cap
The chancellor believes the changes to benefits and tax will be fairer and help ensure that the country can live within its means and compete globally”
For all the rhetoric both in favour and against these cuts I would agree with Osborne on the limited claim that the vast majority of the public are in favour of these changes to the benefit system and do not agree with Labour or other critics of the changes. The very fact that 9 out of 10 people will purportedly be better off underlines the reason why most people agree with the changes. This, however, does not make it the right thing to do.
