STOP THE WELFARE REFORM BILL
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On September 13th the Welfare Reform Bill will go to The House Of Lords. In order to stop them passing this bill we are asking you all to write to the list of speakers with your objections. There is a draft letter but please feel free to alter it to reflect your own personal situation.
The list of email addresses to write to (or website links) are below.
Baroness Thomas of Winchester thomascm@parliament.uk
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_morgan_of_drefelin
Baroness Sherlock http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_sherlock
Baroness Stowell of Beeston stowellt@parliament.uk
Lord Bishop of Hereford bishop@hereford.anglican.org
Countess of Mar marm@parliament.uk
Lord Feldman of Elstree chairman@conservatives.com
Lord Freud freudd@parliament.uk
Lord German germanm@parliament.uk
Lord Stoneham of Droxford http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_stoneham_of_droxford
Lord Addington addingtond@parliament.uk
Lord Adebowale adebowalev@parliament.uk
Lord Beecham beechamj@parliament.uk
Lord Boswell of Aynho boswellte@parliament.uk
Baroness Campbell of Surbiton campbelljs@parliament.uk
Baroness Donaghy http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_donaghy
Baroness Drake http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_drake
Baroness Flather http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_flather
Baroness Greengross greengrosss@parliament.uk
Baroness Grey-Thompson greeythompsont@parliament.uk
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town hayterd@parliament.uk
Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill healyab@parliament.uk
Baroness Hollins http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_hollins
Baroness Hollis of Heigham hollisp@parliament.uk
Baroness Howe of Idlicote howee@parliament.uk
Lord Kennedy of Southwark kennedyro@parliament.uk
Baroness King of Bow http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_king_of_bow
Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_kirkwood_of_kirkhope
Lord Knight of Weymouth knightja@parliament.uk
Bishop Leicester http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/bishop_of_leicester
Baroness Lister of Burtersett http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_lister_of_burtersett
Lord Low of Dalston lowc@parliament.uk
Lord Mackay of Clashfern mackayjp@parliament.uk
Lord Mckenzie of Luton mckenziew@parliament.uk
Baroness Meacher http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_meacher
Lord Morris of Handsworth morrisw@parliament.uk
Lord Newton of Braintree http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_newton_of_braintree
Lord Patel http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_patel
Lord Ramsbotham ramsbothamd@parliament.uk
Lord Rix http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_rix
Lord Touhig touhigjd@parliament.uk
Baroness Turner of Camden http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_turner_of_camden
Lord Whitty whittyl@parliament.uk
Lord Wigley http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_wigley
Baroness Wilkins wilkinsrc@parliament.uk
DRAFT LETTER:
Dear (insert Lord or Baroness' name)
As you will be aware, the Welfare Reform Bill is due to be read in the House of Lords on 13 September, with the committee stage following. I am writing to you as a (insert disability/situation) to set out my main concerns about this bill and ask you to support me by speaking out in the House.
There are many aspects that concern me greatly.
The abolishment of tax credits, most alarmingly the complete lack of help towards childcare costs. I believe this will not make work pay, but instead make it more difficult to manage financially both for all parents.
The introduction of Personal Independence Payments to replace the current Disability Living Allowance. I believe that the introduction of just two care rates will prevent many people who need extra help from receiving it. I am also very concerned that the news system for entitlement for PIPs will prevent genuinely disabled people, such as double amputees, from receiving any financial help.
The benefit cap will, I believe, plunge thousands of people into poverty and force many to move to unsuitable accommodation, lose valuable support networks and private landlords will evict tenants on benefits in favour of employed tenants, thus a rise in homelessness will occur.
The under occupations charges against Housing Benefit awards are equally punitive. And will force many to move from their communities Non dependent charges changes are also punitive. Universal Credit paid in full to tenants will place huge financial risks on rental flows to social landlords thereby affecting services that all tenants can receive. The Housing Impacts of this bill are undesirably draconian, and the impact is potentially immensely negative to society.
The changes proposed to the Child Maintenance Scheme will certainly prevent many children living in lone parent families from ever climbing out of poverty. They are penalised from the moment their parents access the service and throughout the time the service is used. The government said that there would be no losers. It seems to me that there will be millions of losers, most of them children.
The Social Fund has been a lifesaver for many claimants for a long time. It has enabled people to but essential appliances for the home that they would otherwise be unable to afford, such as a washing machine, a bed, a cooker. The government wishes to abolish this service and replace it with a loan that the applicant will pay interest on. Currently social fund loans are interest free. Millions will be forced into enormous debt on very low incomes. That cannot be considered fair.
Iain Duncan Smith claims that he wants to 'make work pay'. Sadly, his Welfare Reform Bill is not going to make work pay for millions. Reducing someone's standard of living to a level where it is impossible to survive whether they work or not will not enable that to happen. Punishing the disabled, couples that separate, their children and their futures is not going to help anyone, least of all the tax payer, who will be picking up the tab for health issues that arise, the cost of homelessness and a generation of children with no prospects and no hope.
I urge you to oppose the bill on 13th September and help save us from a life of poverty and social destruction. Yours Sincerely, YOUR NAME & ADDRESS
More info
On September 13th the Welfare Reform Bill will go to The House Of Lords. In order to stop them passing this bill we are asking you all to write to the list of speakers with your objections. There is a draft letter but please feel free to alter it to reflect your own personal situation.
The list of email addresses to write to (or website links) are below.
Baroness Thomas of Winchester thomascm@parliament.uk
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_morgan_of_drefelin
Baroness Sherlock http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_sherlock
Baroness Stowell of Beeston stowellt@parliament.uk
Lord Bishop of Hereford bishop@hereford.anglican.org
Countess of Mar marm@parliament.uk
Lord Feldman of Elstree chairman@conservatives.com
Lord Freud freudd@parliament.uk
Lord German germanm@parliament.uk
Lord Stoneham of Droxford http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_stoneham_of_droxford
Lord Addington addingtond@parliament.uk
Lord Adebowale adebowalev@parliament.uk
Lord Beecham beechamj@parliament.uk
Lord Boswell of Aynho boswellte@parliament.uk
Baroness Campbell of Surbiton campbelljs@parliament.uk
Baroness Donaghy http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_donaghy
Baroness Drake http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_drake
Baroness Flather http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_flather
Baroness Greengross greengrosss@parliament.uk
Baroness Grey-Thompson greeythompsont@parliament.uk
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town hayterd@parliament.uk
Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill healyab@parliament.uk
Baroness Hollins http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_hollins
Baroness Hollis of Heigham hollisp@parliament.uk
Baroness Howe of Idlicote howee@parliament.uk
Lord Kennedy of Southwark kennedyro@parliament.uk
Baroness King of Bow http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_king_of_bow
Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_kirkwood_of_kirkhope
Lord Knight of Weymouth knightja@parliament.uk
Bishop Leicester http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/bishop_of_leicester
Baroness Lister of Burtersett http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_lister_of_burtersett
Lord Low of Dalston lowc@parliament.uk
Lord Mackay of Clashfern mackayjp@parliament.uk
Lord Mckenzie of Luton mckenziew@parliament.uk
Baroness Meacher http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_meacher
Lord Morris of Handsworth morrisw@parliament.uk
Lord Newton of Braintree http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_newton_of_braintree
Lord Patel http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_patel
Lord Ramsbotham ramsbothamd@parliament.uk
Lord Rix http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_rix
Lord Touhig touhigjd@parliament.uk
Baroness Turner of Camden http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/baroness_turner_of_camden
Lord Whitty whittyl@parliament.uk
Lord Wigley http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/lord_wigley
Baroness Wilkins wilkinsrc@parliament.uk
DRAFT LETTER:
Dear (insert Lord or Baroness' name)
As you will be aware, the Welfare Reform Bill is due to be read in the House of Lords on 13 September, with the committee stage following. I am writing to you as a (insert disability/situation) to set out my main concerns about this bill and ask you to support me by speaking out in the House.
There are many aspects that concern me greatly.
The abolishment of tax credits, most alarmingly the complete lack of help towards childcare costs. I believe this will not make work pay, but instead make it more difficult to manage financially both for all parents.
The introduction of Personal Independence Payments to replace the current Disability Living Allowance. I believe that the introduction of just two care rates will prevent many people who need extra help from receiving it. I am also very concerned that the news system for entitlement for PIPs will prevent genuinely disabled people, such as double amputees, from receiving any financial help.
The benefit cap will, I believe, plunge thousands of people into poverty and force many to move to unsuitable accommodation, lose valuable support networks and private landlords will evict tenants on benefits in favour of employed tenants, thus a rise in homelessness will occur.
The under occupations charges against Housing Benefit awards are equally punitive. And will force many to move from their communities Non dependent charges changes are also punitive. Universal Credit paid in full to tenants will place huge financial risks on rental flows to social landlords thereby affecting services that all tenants can receive. The Housing Impacts of this bill are undesirably draconian, and the impact is potentially immensely negative to society.
The changes proposed to the Child Maintenance Scheme will certainly prevent many children living in lone parent families from ever climbing out of poverty. They are penalised from the moment their parents access the service and throughout the time the service is used. The government said that there would be no losers. It seems to me that there will be millions of losers, most of them children.
The Social Fund has been a lifesaver for many claimants for a long time. It has enabled people to but essential appliances for the home that they would otherwise be unable to afford, such as a washing machine, a bed, a cooker. The government wishes to abolish this service and replace it with a loan that the applicant will pay interest on. Currently social fund loans are interest free. Millions will be forced into enormous debt on very low incomes. That cannot be considered fair.
Iain Duncan Smith claims that he wants to 'make work pay'. Sadly, his Welfare Reform Bill is not going to make work pay for millions. Reducing someone's standard of living to a level where it is impossible to survive whether they work or not will not enable that to happen. Punishing the disabled, couples that separate, their children and their futures is not going to help anyone, least of all the tax payer, who will be picking up the tab for health issues that arise, the cost of homelessness and a generation of children with no prospects and no hope.
I urge you to oppose the bill on 13th September and help save us from a life of poverty and social destruction. Yours Sincerely, YOUR NAME & ADDRESS
This is no doubt one of many thousands of appeals, put forward in the 'open democratic' medias available to us. It would be in the interests of all if those 'representing the best interests of the 'majority' electorate, to represent the interests of voters, rather than 'fudge' matters by excusing the 'Reform Welfare Bill', as 'necessary under the circumstances'!
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