FORMER soldiers will be made homeless and some could die because of the Con-Dem Government’s brutal benefit cuts, shocked MSPs have been told

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‘Lives of ex-soldiers could be at risk from Con-Dem benefit cuts, MSPs are warned’

 

CONCERNS have been raised that the new move to put one-off payments into the banks of veterans could see those affected by addictions not paying rent instead.

Iain+Duncan+Smith

 

FORMER soldiers will be made homeless and some could die because of the Con-Dem Government’s brutal benefit cuts, shocked MSPs heard yesterday.

Charities warned of a tidal wave of misery as benefits are reduced or stopped for some while others will struggle with the introduction of single direct payments.

The new payments will be paid into claimants’ bank accounts rather than to landlords or other support agencies, Holyrood’s welfare committee heard.

Scottish Veterans Housing Association chairman Ian Ballantyne fears soldiers scarred by war, who are being looked after by his charity, could fall into a trap.

He said:

“You could give a gross alcoholic, of which we have quite a few, a huge amount of money provided, of course, they can get a bank account to pay into.

“Do I say, ‘I must pay my rent’, or do I go to the pub across the road? It does have serious implications because the cash flow would not be there for the organisation.

“If the cash flow doesn’t come in, you can’t pay the staff, you can’t run the facility, the facility will close. Where will they go?”

Ken Milroy, chief executive of housing charity Foyer, said the situation would also affect the poorest Scots.

He said:

“If the money goes to an individual, rather than the landlord, and they are in a ­vulnerable situation, we could see an increase in overdoses.

“I don’t know why we want to put people who are vulnerable in a more difficult situation by the mechanism of direct payments.”

Helen Barton, another housing boss, said plans to cut down on under-occupancy would force families to take in lodgers.

Committee convener Michael McMahon raised concerns that the DWP is not making the impact of the changes clearly understood. He said:

“The risk posed to vulnerable people is simply not acceptable.”

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has refused to give evidence to the committee.

But a spokeswoman for the DWP said:

“Alarmist claims about the effects of welfare reform are simply scaremongering.”

The Scottish Daily Record

9 thoughts on “FORMER soldiers will be made homeless and some could die because of the Con-Dem Government’s brutal benefit cuts, shocked MSPs have been told

  1. jeffery davies says:

    no they rather we have a card so can shop were they say to if you lucky enough to get one then be charged for ussing it so 71pounds now becomes 61pounds ten pounds surcharge another ids stick up jeff3

  2. HomerJS says:

    Caption for the above picture:
    “Mr Duncan Smith, can you tell us how many brain cells you have?

  3. JEFFREY says:

    sill old bag so 10.000 deaths are nothing then totaly divode of any sence.
    ant these clots are running this country have little or any sense out of touch and irelivent.
    jeff

  4. karen says:

    Karen-Eva Starling Smith Also make you wonder why they still have all the pomp and ceremony of poppy day and new memorials if they can even home them… All for show…

  5. Kelpiemare says:

    Anyone else reckoning IDS sees himself as the next pope? He should be so lucky poop(head) suits him far better…….

  6. GEOFF REYNOLDS says:

    Our Reference: FOI 4266-5116

    24 January 2013

    Dear Mr Reynolds
    Freedom of Information Act – Request for Information

    Thank you for your Freedom of Information request which we received on 24/12/2012.

    You asked:
    1. Have executives of U N U M corporation sat on mental or physical, technical working
    groups on behalf of any British government?
    2. Have executives or staff, from either U N U M, or A T O S, acted in steering any
    favourable decisions for contracts for themselves?
    3. Have A T O S, who funded the Biopsychosocial Research department at Cardiff
    University, now distanced themselves from this department?
    4. Does the department above, still do classes and accreditation for A T O S HCP
    personnel?
    5. Could this cosy relationship be defined as a “Conflict of interest” that is clearly apparent,
    blatant and reprehensible, given the magnitude of the effects of their policies inflicted on
    the disabled?

    In reply to Qs 1, 2, 3 & 4 DWP does not hold any information on these subjects, as they are not
    connected to the DWP Medical Services Contract.

    In response to Q 5 the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act is about the supply of recorded
    information held by the Department rather than explaining things or confirming whether your
    assumptions are correct or not, therefore this question is not, under FoI a valid request.

    Yours sincerely

    DWP Business Management Team
    Health & Disability Assessments (Operations)

  7. Thomas says:

    They won’t stop until they have ruined the lives of all disabled people and stuck us in insitutions or else turned us into beggars or criminals.

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