UBI imagines a world in which all jobs are carried out by robots. The increased use of robots in work is assumed to mean that we can never achieve full employment again. This is despite the fact that the period of full employment, between WW2 and Thatcher, occurred after the development of the stocking frame (and the objections of the stockingists), the loom (and the power loom riots of 1826) and the industrial revolution. Not only that, but the working week has grown from 25

Let us imagine that a UBI is paid that is at the minimum income standard (MIS). The MIS is enough money for social participation and inclusion. A disability component exists that gives disabled people enough income to meet the extra costs that they incur for being disabled. Let us also imagine that you know a disabled person whose family live far away. Previously, they were poor and could not afford to pay a companion or attend social clubs. They were lonely and isolated. You

The Office for Budget Responsibility has recently reported that spending on PIP, the Tory’s new extra-costs disability, was 20% higher than was expected if the previous benefit had been retained, instead of 20% lower as was the government’s desire. The OBR had a number of reasons for this. One was the lack of data to support the government’s stated desire that PIP would reduce spending by 20%. The biggest reason is probably simply that there is a much higher volume of claims

I wanted to find data on the consequences of Conservative cuts since 2010, in the hope that I might remember some of them to use in discussion with Conservative-leaning friends. A pdf version is available here. The UK has experienced the worst economic recovery on record, even worse than that after the Great Depression. The UK did not lose as much GDP per capita as in the 1920s – 7% vs 10% – but ten years later, output is only 3% above pre-crash levels compared to more than 1

I had a PIP appeal today. I’ve been waiting for it for ten months. I don’t think it went well. There are some points in my favour: the panel repeatedly referred to the fact that I have learnt to manage my condition through careful planning and pacing, and that I can’t manage more than I currently do when queried on how I could manage to sit in the tribunal room, I said that it was only with exacerbation of symptoms: nausea, flu-like symptoms, poor temperature control, brain s

DWP-UC has apparently now told DWP-ESA to stop paying me. I have received, in three separate envelopes that arrived on the same day, a letter saying that my ESA has ended, a second saying that contributory ESA is taxable (not that I ever received cESA), and a third that was my P45 from HMRC. I have also received, online, a letter telling me that I need to repay the ESA overpayments, which have reached over £1000. The letter says that I have to make arrangements to pay it back

My telephone appointment last week went fine. All the Work Coach wanted was to ask if I had received, completed and sent off the form for my WCA will which be coming up in the next few weeks. I wanted to check that someone was on top of sorting out exactly what UC I should be getting. My new appointments are added quietly to the UC journal without my receiving any notification. When I logged in, I found I had been scheduled an appointment for 2:40pm. Due to my illnesses, I ha

Applying for council tax support is nearly as much hassle as Universal Credit. They too want my most recent bank statements, and they want proof that my lodger is a student. They too would quite like to see all of this in person. The problem arises when they ask for evidence of my Universal Credit award – because such evidence does not exist until at least four weeks into the claim, after submitting one’s first monthly earnings. But Council Tax want evidence of Universal Cred

The government still doesn’t know what its talking about. But this time it’s almost seven years on from when it gained power, and its politicians no longer have the right to plead ignorance. They do not have the right to remain ignorant on matters of great importance over which they hold the power. A spokesperson for the government said that mental illness is not a disability. Leaving aside his personal knowledge of mental illness – which appears to be restricted to non-disab

A few days ago James Max wrote an article about Atos and the Paralympics.  Many disabled people and their supporters have been upset by the government’s permission for Atos to sponsor the Paralympics.  James Max argues that it is completely acceptable for Atos to be a sponsor.  He says that if you don’t like it, then “Tough.  Put up the money yourself if you feel that strongly about it.” I do feel strongly about it, but unsurprisingly do not have the money to sponsor somethin