Gains of Yes 6: Benefits and Social Security (or welfare as it now seems to be called to stigmatise the poor and vulnerable)

 

I am for YES because I believe the current victimisation of the poor in general and those on benefits is morally bankrupt in a rich country like ours. 

In what universe, barring the old Westminster Etonians, is it okay to victimise those who are in genuine need, such as the poor, the ill and the disabled, whilst giving those at the top of the tree a tax cut? 

 
The Scottish Government in its present form can only mitigate some of the effects of things like the iniquitous Bedroom Tax which it has done. 

However it can do nothing about the Employment and Support Allowance Ability for Work Assessments, currently run by ATOS, which routinely find people assessed as too ill to work by their GP, hospital consultants, etc. as 100% fine. Indeed the assessment centre in the centre of Glasgow has now become known by some as Lourdes as you go in ill and come out miraculously cured (at least as far as the DWP go but unfortunately not in any other reality).

It can do nothing about Job Seekers Allowance claimants being sanctioned for no reason and being left with no income whatsoever, hence the rise in foodbanks, begging and the need for payday loan companies. 

Each change made to the benefits system by Westminster seems to make it less fair and the only motivation seems to be to save money and to hell with the people forced to depend on it. 

This regime is likely to continue under any circumstances at a UK level with either the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats or UKIP all agreeing in principle to this iniquitous systematic demonisation and victimisation of the poor, sick and vulnerable.

Only by voting YES are things likely to be changed. A NO vote would doom the people who depend on social security benefits to misery and despair. 

 

GETTING HUNKERED DOWN FOR A LONG WINTER Part 3 of 3

Go back to Part 1.
Go back to Part 2.

My lessons from all this

So all this has taught me the following…

1. Thank God for the SNP coming into power at Holyrood. They removed prescription charges which allowed me to access the medication I need to reduce the symptoms of my chronic illness without having to worry about the cost.
2. Why did I have to pay tax and National Insurance to the UK Government when I was working for 20 years when they actually only took 1 years contributions into account when I had to apply for benefits through no fault of my own?
3. If 1 year’s National Insurance contributions are all that counts, can I not have the other 19 years refunded?
4. I was very naïve to assume that the UK Social Security system actually operated so it would care for me if I needed it. It has time and time again proved that it would not, and even when it does, it only grudging helps with meagre levels of support.
5. The Incapacity Benefit and now Employment and Support Allowance systems are the UK equivalent of Lourdes, as people go in to be assessed and come out according to the system miraculously cured. I wish in actuality I was cured as I so desperately want to be well again!
6. I can have any power supplier I like as long as it is Scottish Power thanks to the so-called free energy market which was so efficiently designed by the UK Government so that everyone (except those in my situation) could chose their energy supplier. Oh yes and that same system has led to imminent overall energy shortage thanks to the private companies pursuit of profit and not energy security, the latter being the prime motivator before privatisation.
7. Lord Martin of Springburn, and the Labour Party are no longer interested in protecting the most vulnerable in society, or they have a mighty funny way of showing it.
8. The SNP Government at Holyrood also introduced a more generous version of the UK’s Green Deal meaning I may be able to get some financial help towards making my house a little warmer in winter.
9. In an energy and resource rich country like Scotland why do millions have to suffer in fuel poverty, when they have to choose between eating and heating their homes?
10. Why is a system called the ‘Warm Home Discount’ designed to help those in need such a big secret?
11. Why is it called the ‘Warm Home Discount’? Is this not an insult to those in financial hardship whose houses remain freezing thanks to the constantly increasing fuel prices.
12. Why when I phoned the DWP or Job Centre Plus did they not know anything about the Warm Home Discount?
13. Why when I phoned Scottish Power initially did they also deny knowledge of it for someone in my situation i.e. under the pension age?
14. And what I consider the most important lesson: Why do the Scots seem to think that the UK Government can do better at the vast majority of things that I have mentioned above than the Scottish Government, when the latter has proved itself far more efficient and effective than the former in its short existence?

 

Vote NO for nothing, no change, zilch, and probably even less than you have now.

Vote YES to have the opportunity to create something new, to get the Scottish Government that you actually have some control over doing what the majority of Scots want, that is better than we have now (which in my opinion with Scotland’s resources would not be all that difficult).

I live in hope.