Welfare cuts put added health strain on population

Which should be blindingly obvious - except I don't believe the Govt. -this new one or any other gives much of a damn.

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "We are committed to reforming the welfare system to make work pay.

"We know that work itself is the best way out of poverty."

By which they mean cutting the already wholly inadequate and meagre welfare payments to the point where even a 50p a hour job might seem the better bet. They won't be raising minimum wage levels to actually liveable wage levels any time soon. People will be in work - but will be starving too.

Ahem. Work itself is not the best way out of poverty if it's only poverty wages - or if you're a single parent having to pay out child care fees - or whatever. Or if working that extra hour means you'll get your housing benefits or tax credits cut.

Grim fact - most of the poorest people in the UK are already in employment and not on any benefits...


BBC News - Welfare cuts put added health strain on population