I say step-up, and not help, because they should have stepped up a long time ago. I have always said that the cost of living outweighs inflation and that we have, for our entire lives, trusted that our tax is used for the right reasons, but it has been like observing a solicitor who has been given a trust fund live a very comfortable life on it and giving the beneficiary peanuts instead of the intended income.
It is not new (the suffering and hardship), but it has reached such a crisis point that high profile people have started to see that it is all wrong, and people are starting to understand that it is working people who are in negative income, and not benefit scroungers. And let’s be clear, some people simply cannot work, they have heart-breaking disabilities either physical or mental and they need us to be humane about valuing their place in this life. We are not better than they are, we are the lucky ones.
My frustration around the SMBN has always been the barriers to work that should not exist, we are able bodied, able minded, we do not need upskilling or cooking classes, we have just fallen victim to childcare being out of sync with work and uncapped rental combined with low earnings equalling genuine hardship. There are too many barriers and there is too much uncapped ungoverned greed. So that is what must change long term. Short term, help is needed for the millions suffering to get by. Calls from debt collectors, bailiffs for council tax, cards declined for food, it is an appalling state or affairs, when people are just trying to work and pay their way, or are unable to work by no fault of their own.
So, today, the Chancellor, as a result of outcry and pressure, sadly not through genuine understanding, has announced the following: (my analogy is geared towards my SP audience)
DWP will make a one off payment of £650 to 8 million low income households (this will be half in July and half in Autumn see HERE) – I would imagine this is back pay for benefits beneath inflation? tbc (see blogs below as stigma is rife for benefits but there is a blog for holding your head high as a single mum on benefits)
Non-means tested (disability benefits) will get £150 on top of this
this may offer a bit of help to pay bills and buy food in six weeks or so, but we all know that a lot more permanent resolve is needed.
Pensioner households will get an extra £300 of winter fuel payment (I don’t think this will be enough tbh)
The £200 energy loan is now a £400 grant for ALL energy bills for ‘everyone’
The household support fund held by local councils extended by £500million (discretionary)
Rishi reiterated the Gov are on the side of the British People, and reiterated the support through Covid. I think they do mean well, they just don’t have adequate lived experience to see the real issues… maybe they will take some advisories on board!
Targeted Levy for Energy Profits – *temporary
To keep on top of the technical details be sure to follow Martin Lewis on Twitter @MartinSLewis
(thank you Martin Lewis for really helping us all)
My inflation warning blog from 2016 https://juliehawkins.blog/2018/05/10/working-for-poverty-self-employment/
Penalised for being Poor 2016 https://juliehawkins.blog/2016/10/23/rewarded-for-being-rich-and-penalised-for-being-poor/
Holding your head high as a single mum on benefits https://singlemumsbusinessnetwork.wordpress.com/2019/03/22/benefits-as-a-single-mum-holding-your-head-high/
Bias in the tenant market https://juliehawkins.blog/2017/08/10/bias-in-the-tenant-market-hb-or-pets-no-thank-you/
Why flexible working (lack of) costs millions in benefits https://juliehawkins.blog/2020/01/08/flexible-working-isnt-an-option-thats-what-my-employer-confirmed-during-my-maternity-i-had-to-choose-my-career-or-my-daughter-i-chose-my-daughter-and-paid-the-price/
9-5 Manmade Manslaughter https://juliehawkins.blog/2016/09/30/the-blog/
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Webinar #IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity – My talk on Barriers to Finance, and how Barriers to Work, Homes and Finance are interlinked..
On Wednesday 8th March I co-hosted a webinar with SWIG finance. Speakers included:
Welcome New Member, Michele Ambara – M&M Events Inspiration
I am delighted to welcome Michele, to the SMBN; here is a little about Michele: ‘I am a single mother of two children,…
Welcome New Member, Janine Jorsling, Mobile Massage Therapist and Candle Maker, at Janine Marie London
I am delighted to welcome Janine to the Single Mums Business Network, our first new member of 2023! By joining the SMBN Janine…
Welcome New Member, Nina Farr, to the Single Mums Business Network. Nina is a Leadership Coach & Mentor, TEDx Speaker, Author of ‘I am the Parent Who Stayed’, and there’s more! Read on…
I am delighted to welcome Nina Farr, to the Single Mums Business Network, aka SMBN. You really need to visit Nina’s website to…
Welcome Nina Bambrey, Parenting Coach, Author and Researcher, to the Single Mums Business Network
I am delighted to welcome Nina back to the SMBN. Nina is a parenting coach, author and researcher..
Member Impact Story – Claire Harris – Pets2Places
Thank you to SMBN member Claire for submitting our first official Impact Story! The Single Mums Business Network [SMBN] was set-up in 2019 to help…
Welcome New Member, Claire Standen, Coach, Speaker and Activist, to the SMBN
Welcome New Member, Claire Standen, Coach, Speaker and Activist, to the SMBN. Claire is a coach and therapist helping entrepreneurial and professional women…
The BOOK – Single Mum & 21st Century Peasant – Breaking out of Benefits Jail.
The BOOK – Single Mums & 21st Century Peasant – Breaking out of Benefits Jail, is coming soon! I have held a number…
Sarah Harvey, SMBN Member and Students in Mind Founder, delivers Wellbeing Workshop to Weightmans Solicitors.
Sarah Harvey, SMBN Member and Students in Mind Founder, delivers Wellbeing Workshop to Weightmans Solicitors. By engaging with one of the Students in…
Welcome New Member to the SMBN – Debra Elsmore, Owner at Balance, Pilates and Wellbeing
I am delighted to welcome Debra to the Single Mums Business Network. Deb and I have been connected via networking for a number…
Welcome New Member – Carmen Romero, Founder and Director – Impact Creation Lab Ltd
I am delighted to welcome Carmen Romero as a member of the Single Mums Business Network. Carmen has worked for more than a…
SMBN Webinar – Benefits, Minimum Income Floor, MLM, Business, Flexible Working Agencies, Wellbeing, Finance, Support. – AUDIO only for privacy of attendees.
I’ve had to share this as an audio rather than video for privacy reasons as I failed to remove videos of attendees, but…