Britain’s welfare safety net has been devastated by the coalition government’s so-called “reforms,” new research revealed yesterday.
It said local authorities are being left with the task of helping victims
when benefit cuts leave them too poor to survive.
The research was carried out by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion for the Local Government Association - the body which represents local councils.
The report said that almost two-thirds of the welfare cuts will hit households where at least one person is in work.
It stated: "The impacts of the reforms are likely to be most strongly felt in areas with the highest dependence on benefit - north-east England, parts of London and a swathe of coastal towns and cities including Thanet, Tendring, Great Yarmouth, Scarborough and Torbay."
Britain's poorest people will find their weekly income axed by £31 a week, the report said.
Eighty per cent of benefit recipients will be worse off and need council help to survive.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said the report exposed the myths on which the Tories and their Liberal Democrat allies base their attack on the welfare system.
"The government has tried to sell its welfare reforms on the back of mistruths and nasty stereotypes," she said.
"However, this research exposes what a devastating impact its policies are having on communities throughout the country.
"Ministers are not cracking down on cheats as they claim, but destroying the safety net that our welfare state is meant to provide for those who fall on hard times through no fault of their own.
"The government's attack on social security provision is not only hurting those unable to find work. Millions of working families are seeing an even bigger reduction in their financial support.
"Rather than addressing the shortage of jobs and affordable housing that is blighting many areas, ministers are slashing local authority budgets and expecting councils to deal with the fallout from their reforms."
The report said cutting benefits was unlikely to "force" people into work because there are so few jobs to be had.
The research was carried out by the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion for the Local Government Association - the body which represents local councils.
The report said that almost two-thirds of the welfare cuts will hit households where at least one person is in work.
It stated: "The impacts of the reforms are likely to be most strongly felt in areas with the highest dependence on benefit - north-east England, parts of London and a swathe of coastal towns and cities including Thanet, Tendring, Great Yarmouth, Scarborough and Torbay."
Britain's poorest people will find their weekly income axed by £31 a week, the report said.
Eighty per cent of benefit recipients will be worse off and need council help to survive.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said the report exposed the myths on which the Tories and their Liberal Democrat allies base their attack on the welfare system.
"The government has tried to sell its welfare reforms on the back of mistruths and nasty stereotypes," she said.
"However, this research exposes what a devastating impact its policies are having on communities throughout the country.
"Ministers are not cracking down on cheats as they claim, but destroying the safety net that our welfare state is meant to provide for those who fall on hard times through no fault of their own.
"The government's attack on social security provision is not only hurting those unable to find work. Millions of working families are seeing an even bigger reduction in their financial support.
"Rather than addressing the shortage of jobs and affordable housing that is blighting many areas, ministers are slashing local authority budgets and expecting councils to deal with the fallout from their reforms."
The report said cutting benefits was unlikely to "force" people into work because there are so few jobs to be had.
Morning Star
