Concern over rise in food bank use
BENEFIT claimants are being punished by an unfair system at a time when food bank use has doubled, according to those familiar with the system.
According the Trussell Trust, Southport’s food bank is now used twice as often as when it opened in five years ago and volunteers fear that those needing help are fighting against a “vicious” system.
A debt and benefits advice unit has been in operation at the food bank’s Lakeside headquarters for 18 months, in which time the highly controversial Universal Credit has been implemented in Southport.
Labour councillor Janis Blackburne and prospective parliamentary candidate Liz Savage visited the centre and were told that residents are dealing with a social security system which is set-up to “frustrate rather than help”.
The introduction of Universal Credit has also brought with it new problems, with some groups being particularly badly affected such as single parents, the selfemployed and EU citizens.
Welfare benefits adviser Gerard Lonergan told the politicians: “We now seem to have a punitive system for many. The tagline is that it helps people into work but really we are running a system to scare people. It’s not just UC, the system currently seems to be deliberately obstructing people from their actual rights and entitlements.”
His colleague, Mike Hume, added: “People get training in the workplace but there’s no such training when encountering the system. The information that is now given out is often really bad, so bad it seems deliberate.”
“That’s why there are so many successful appeals now but it appears they are relying on people not being able to access the help they need for those appeals.”
“We’ve won 100% of the cases we’ve contested but our caseload and that of others working in the town is just too high to take on much more.”
The volunteers said Jobcentre staff used to be there to offer assistance and guidance but with everything now online, this facility was much reduced and appeared to have been replaced with a system of intransigence and obstruction.
Gerard added: “It’s extremely difficult now for people. The system seems set up to frustrate rather than help. The sanctions approach is unnecessarily vicious and not just for Universal Credit but right across the various benefits.
“For instance, it’s very easy to miss a communication now that everything is online and if you do, you are sanctioned immediately. Little account is taken of people’s ability to access or cope with online systems. This can cause huge problems and even lead to people losing their accommodation.”
It is estimated that, when fully implemented out, roughly 1 in 10 people in Southport will be on Universal Credit.
Gerard said that the new scheme was a good idea not worked out.
“The concept itself is sound but its implementation has been really poor.
“It’s worked for some in replacing the old system but it’s simply not working for large numbers of others and has been severely underfunded.”
“The self-employed and single parents can come off very badly but the way EU citizens are treated is often appalling. There seems to be an environment that is deliberately causing totally unnecessary hardship for that group.”
Cllr Blackburne, who represents Kew Ward, said the visit had proved hugely informative.
She said: “Staff have told us that while you might get the odd one or two trying it on very occasionally, the vast majority who come here are just everyday people who find themselves in desperate straits, often through no fault of their own at all.
“You’d be amazed at the number of hardworking families who are having to survive on benefits of some sort, or who can’t do that and then find themselves using the services here.
“No-one should look down on them for it. In work poverty is now a reality for millions.
“The food bank is providing invaluable assistance but it’s unacceptable that local residents are being put in this situation.”
“It’s also completely wrong that volunteers are having to carry out what DWP staff should be doing in the first place – providing the correct information. I don’t blame the staff, it’s the system that the government has implemented.”