Current Affairs The Conservative Party

[JimmyJeffers]

Really? On Monday the manager said it was sent from their office to Newcastle approved. And still no word.

"You are seriously saying the Government have instructed the DWP to withhold payments? To save money?

I mean there is plenty to lob at these idiots, but that borders on paranoia".

Unfortunately, if you want to be naive about how this government acts that is up to you. But plenty of court cases against the DWP have shown the government has acted illegally and refused to pay what people are due.

That’s not how the DWP works. Sorry mate.
Also 45 mins wait on the phone is pretty good for them to be fair.

 

[ramacca]

You said that the Government is delaying payments on purpose, to save money. Tell me how that works when they have to back date claims to said date?

This is what I put,
"It seems from my experience, that the DWP pension service in Newcastle are illegally withholding state pension payments for new claimants. This can only be on a particular directive to 'save money' so the public sector borrowing requirement looks 'good'. A absolute disgrace that is in line with the Tories hostile environment for all and sundry".

Firstly, there is no guarantee that they will pay back dated claims - court cases would suggest that they will break their own laws to not pay what people are entitled to.

 

[ramacca]

That’s not how the DWP works. Sorry mate.
Also 45 mins wait on the phone is pretty good for them to be fair.

Care to explain?

 

[roydo]

This is what I put,
"It seems from my experience, that the DWP pension service in Newcastle are illegally withholding state pension payments for new claimants. This can only be on a particular directive to 'save money' so the public sector borrowing requirement looks 'good'. A absolute disgrace that is in line with the Tories hostile environment for all and sundry".

Firstly, there is no guarantee that they will pay back dated claims - court cases would suggest that they will break their own laws to not pay what people are entitled to.

So exactly what I said you said. Ok.

My personal experience is that they back date payments. When you get your pension, you will see that. I have no idea what the legal guarantee is though. Perhaps your numerous court cases will show corruption or incompetence.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Care to explain?

I’m not a massive fan of the DWP but the idea they would be institutionally acting illegally under government directives or pressure is implausible. In fact the majority of employees are Labour voters in my experience and are working within the guidelines set out by the government.
Things like the private outsourcing of medical assessments and the way they are conducted and UC deductions are a disgrace but not illegal.
They are notoriously difficult to get through and you will never speak to the same person twice. I know it’s a very frustrating experience.
BTW you should get paid from when you initiated your claim and pretty much everyone does. Again anecdotal. If you’re not getting anywhere and still waiting I’d call the citizens advice.
I’m fairly certain @Old Blue 2 worked in this department for many years and can provide greater insight than me.

 

[ramacca]

So exactly what I said you said. Ok.

My personal experience is that they back date payments. When you get your pension, you will see that. I have no idea what the legal guarantee is though. Perhaps your numerous court cases will show corruption or incompetence.

Again, really? The DWP at Newcastle can drag their feet as long as they like and not pay what people are entitled to, including backdated entitlement. Again, to save money under the directive of the secretary of state, carried out by Newcastle office managers.

 

[roydo]

Things like the private outsourcing of medical assessments and the way they are conducted and UC deductions are a disgrace but not illegal.

True dat. No experience of UC, but the medical report we got was about 80% correct. Marked Mrs R down cos she sounded fine ffs! But as virgins, so to speak, we were in the system.

 

[roydo]

Again, really? The DWP at Newcastle can drag their feet as long as they like and not pay what people are entitled to, including backdated entitlement. Again, to save money under the directive of the secretary of state, carried out by Newcastle office managers.

I can give you evidence of all of our claims, whilst taking a while, all being backdated.

Show me the directive from the secretary of state. And/or, evidence that your pension wasnt/wont be, back dated. Every single client I had in a previous life, had their state pension back dated to their SRA.

 

[ramacca]

I’m not a massive fan of the DWP but the idea they would be institutionally acting illegally under government directives or pressure is implausible. In fact the majority of employees are Labour voters in my experience and are working within the guidelines set out by the government.
Things like the private outsourcing of medical assessments and the way they are conducted and UC deductions are a disgrace but not illegal.
They are notoriously difficult to get through and you will never speak to the same person twice. I know it’s a very frustrating experience.
BTW you should get paid from when you initiated your claim and pretty much everyone does. Again anecdotal. If you’re not getting anywhere and still waiting I’d call the citizens advice.
I’m fairly certain @Old Blue 2 worked in this department for many years and can provide greater insight than me.

Thanks for the reply. But have you ever had to deal with someone who was sanctioned from receiving Universal Credit because of the actions of DWP employees? They do work 'within government guidelines' but when the guideline are to create a hostile environment for claimants then they act 'accordingly' i.e illegally. Like I put to Roydo, there is nothing to stop the DWP dragging their feet and not paying the legally entitled state pension to people who are entitled to it. They've got a record of breaking the law when it comes to benefits.

 

[ramacca]

I can give you evidence of all of our claims, whilst taking a while, all being backdated.

Show me the directive from the secretary of state. And/or, evidence that your pension wasnt/wont be, back dated. Every single client I had in a previous life, had their state pension back dated to their SRA.

That was then, this is now - the Tories created hostile environment for those claiming benefits.

Crippen reports on why the high courts found that the DWP acted unlawfully​

February 20, 2020 - by Crippen
Two disabled campaigners identified as TP and AR, have delivered another humiliating defeat to The Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) through the High Courts. The DWP tried to defend their actions involving a huge drop in income for severely disabled people moving on to Universal Credit but was told by the courts that this was unlawful.
There had already been two previous high court decisions to protect claimants in receipt of severe disability premium against a drop in income under the new benefit. These cases were also brought by TP and AR, who had sought justice after their benefit income was reduced by £180 a month when they were required to claim universal credit after moving to a new house in a different local authority area.
The DWP had proposed new regulations to prevent other severely disabled people moving on to universal credit and to compensate those who already had done so. But it decided those who had moved on to the new system before 19 January 2019 would get just £80 a month in compensation.
In May 2019 the court ruled again that this was unlawful after TP and AR launched another legal challenge to this decision.

 

[Charro]

Thanks for the reply. But have you ever had to deal with someone who was sanctioned from receiving Universal Credit because of the actions of DWP employees? They do work 'within government guidelines' but when the guideline are to create a hostile environment for claimants then they act 'accordingly' i.e illegally. Like I put to Roydo, there is nothing to stop the DWP dragging their feet and not paying the legally entitled state pension to people who are entitled to it. They've got a record of breaking the law when it comes to benefits.

As a former DWP employee I have to say you are coming out with absolute drivel.

The insinuation that low level civil servants are somehow taking direct orders from the government to withhold public money is ridiculous.

It is very common for the DWP to have a backlog of payments they need to get out. Any payment that has been delayed will be paid from date of entitlement.

When you phone up about the pension payments, the person on the other end of the phone will simply send a handover to a local benefit centre to investigate the issue for you.

These benefit centres are often understaffed and overworked which is what usually causes a backlog.

Nobody you are dealing with directly will be taking orders from the government. They’ll just be doing their job like everybody else making a living. As has been said, most civil servants in places like newcastle and liverpool will be left wing, often Labour voters so why would they be in cahoots with the conservatives?

 

[ramacca]

So exactly what I said you said. Ok.

My personal experience is that they back date payments. When you get your pension, you will see that. I have no idea what the legal guarantee is though. Perhaps your numerous court cases will show corruption or incompetence.

And what are some people supposed to live on until the receive their legal entitlement?

 

[ramacca]

As a former DWP employee I have to say you are coming out with absolute drivel.

The insinuation that low level civil servants are somehow taking direct orders from the government to withhold public money is ridiculous.

It is very common for the DWP to have a backlog of payments they need to get out. Any payment that has been delayed will be paid from date of entitlement.

When you phone up about the pension payments, the person on the other end of the phone will simply send a handover to a local benefit centre to investigate the issue for you.

These benefit centres are often understaffed and overworked which is what usually causes a backlog.

Nobody you are dealing with directly will be taking orders from the government. They’ll just be doing their job like everybody else making a living. As has been said, most civil servants in places like newcastle and liverpool will be left wing, often Labour voters so why would they be in cahoots with the conservatives?

Where to start.

My sister works as a 'low level civil servant' in Liverpool and the incidents she tells me about some of her fellow workers and how they deal with claims. Well let's say, if you think there are not rotten apples in Newcastle and Liverpool then you are deluded. 'I can't be bother to phone to check' (her quote of one 'low level civil servant - who aren't on minimum wage), resulting in a payment delay.

Secondly, the devious nature over sanctioning people, of some 'low level civil servants - not on minimum wage - over Universal Credit is, and still is, acts against workers - something the PCS claims to be for.

Thirdly, the Newcastle office is not understaffed or has work load issue - confirmed by the regional PCS office. The only way they can be 'understaffed' at the moment is because 1400 staff have been seconded to work on Universal Credit claims to claw back money for the government.

Meet the secretive DWP ‘hit squad’ trawling through Universal Credit claims

I assume left wing and Labour voters. And why isn't Mark Serwotka shouting from the rooftops about this secondment?

Lastly, the experience of what some 'low level civil servants' did and still do over sanctioning people on Universal Credit - government orders to create a hostile environment -doesn't fill me with confidence that they will act against any directive of their office managers - directed to do by government -who forced the implementation of the hostile Universal Credit sanction regime, that penalised the working class.

 

[ramacca]

As a former DWP employee I have to say you are coming out with absolute drivel.

The insinuation that low level civil servants are somehow taking direct orders from the government to withhold public money is ridiculous.

It is very common for the DWP to have a backlog of payments they need to get out. Any payment that has been delayed will be paid from date of entitlement.

When you phone up about the pension payments, the person on the other end of the phone will simply send a handover to a local benefit centre to investigate the issue for you.

These benefit centres are often understaffed and overworked which is what usually causes a backlog.

Nobody you are dealing with directly will be taking orders from the government. They’ll just be doing their job like everybody else making a living. As has been said, most civil servants in places like newcastle and liverpool will be left wing, often Labour voters so why would they be in cahoots with the conservatives?

And how many DWP, 'low level civil servants' recently retired new pension claimant are going through the same situation as me - July entitlement- and my friend May entitlement? I'll let you know when and if Mark Serwotka replies to my email.

 

[Charro]

Where to start.

My sister works as a 'low level civil servant' in Liverpool and the incidents she tells me about some of her fellow workers and how they deal with claims. Well let's say, if you think there are not rotten apples in Newcastle and Liverpool then you are deluded. 'I can't be bother to phone to check' (her quote of one 'low level civil servant - who aren't on minimum wage), resulting in a payment delay.

Secondly, the devious nature over sanctioning people, of some 'low level civil servants - not on minimum wage - over Universal Credit is, and still is, acts against workers - something the PCS claims to be for.

Thirdly, the Newcastle office is not understaffed or has work load issue - confirmed by the regional PCS office. The only way they can be 'understaffed' at the moment is because 1400 staff have been seconded to work on Universal Credit claims to claw back money for the government.

Meet the secretive DWP ‘hit squad’ trawling through Universal Credit claims

I assume left wing and Labour voters. And why isn't Mark Serwotka shouting from the rooftops about this secondment?

Lastly, the experience of what some 'low level civil servants' did and still do over sanctioning people on Universal Credit - government orders to create a hostile environment -doesn't fill me with confidence that they will act against any directive of their office managers - directed to do by government -who forced the implementation of the hostile Universal Credit sanction regime, that penalised the working class.

There are bad apples in every office. I worked with a few people myself who were less than friendly on the phone but all did their jobs properly.

In terms of sanctioning, I don’t agree with it, or the way it’s implemented but this is not the fault of civil servants and is the fault of the government implementing their rules.

You are way off in laying the blame at the door of the staff and insinuating their taking orders from the government. Your example of office managers taking directions from the government is complete nonsense.

Also, why do you keep putting the phrase low level civil servants in inverted commas like am some how wrong in telling you who will be carrying out the work?

I appreciate it must be frustrating for you not to have any money you are entitled to, I just know your anger is misplaced.

On the PCS though, now that’s an organisation in cahoots with the government.