Welfare


A poor show on UK poverty
Peter Wilby, Monday September 15 2008, The Guardian.


Built on sand?

Critics of radical plans to boost the number of people in employment say the cash available and targets set are so unrealistic that those hardest to find jobs for could be bypassed. Alison Benjamin reports


Alison Benjamin, Wednesday September 10 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★



Long-term jobless 'may be sidelined'
David Brindle, Monday September 8 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★


Pathway or punishment?

The government is hailing its welfare reform package as a radical strategy to move people from incapacity benefits into work. But Annie Kelly hears from those rebuilding their lives who fear they will be targeted


Annie Kelly, Wednesday September 3 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★



2m pensioners £100 worse off, say Tories
Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent, Tuesday August 19 2008, The Guardian.


Labour has lifted our welfare reform policies, but still doesn't get it

Social mobility has ground to a halt, and talking about money is no longer enough


Chris Grayling, Thursday July 24, 2008, The Guardian.



Working model

How will the green paper setting out major reform of incapacity benefits impact on the most marginalised of the long-term unemployed?


Wednesday July 23, 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★



Labour's sin-eater has now neutralised welfare reform

James Purnell's radical proposals have shot the Tory fox, but at the expense of those who can least afford a cut


Polly Toynbee, Tuesday July 22, 2008, The Guardian.



Leading article: A welcome return to the principles of Beveridge
Tuesday, 22 July 2008, The Independent.


Steve Richards: A big step forward on the path to welfare reform, but there is difficult terrain ahead

Welfare ministers move on as quickly in this government as transport ministers


Steve Richards, Tuesday, 22 July 2008, The Independent.



Minister unveils plans to push lone parents back into work

Radical welfare reforms aim to take 1m off benefit - Tories welcome policies, but Labour left is outraged


Allegra Stratton, political correspondent, Tuesday July 22, 2008, The Guardian.



Getting personal with welfare
By guest author Anthony Painter
Monday, 21 July 2008, 'Open House', The Independent.


Benefits clampdown on heroin and crack users
Patrick Wintour, political editor, Monday July 21, 2008, The Guardian.


Field leads criticism of welfare reform
PA, Monday, 21 July 2008, The Independent.


Welfare reform plan to get thousands to work
Andrew Woodcock, PA, Monday, 21 July 2008, The Independent.


Johann Hari: Yes, for welfare you must be made to work

We need to transform the safety net into a trampoline that bounces you back


Monday, 21 July 2008, The Independent.



Fraud: Whitehall 'doomed to lose £1bn of benefit payments every year'
David Hencke, Westminster correspondent, Tuesday July 8, 2008, The Guardian.


A new party for the poor

Labour neglect has given rise to a seismic change. The Tories are becoming the home of social justice


Tim Montgomerie, Tuesday July 8, 2008, The Guardian.



Return fixture

Specialist courses are helping people who have suffered serious head injuries get back to work


Tracy Cook, Wednesday July 2, 2008, The Guardian.



Purnell aims to give job seekers more choice in finding work
Patrick Wintour, Wednesday June 25, 2008, The Guardian.


Helping the journey back to work

Benefit claimants should be able to take on community work without jeopardising their payments, says Naomi Alexander


May 14, 2008, Guardian Blogs.



Well notes rather than sick notes aim to cure long-term sick leave
Derren Hayes, 7 May 2008, communitycare.co.uk.


Individual budgets could weaken the NHS
Peter Beresford, Wednesday April 16 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★


Charities sue government
Miles Brignall, Wednesday April 9 2008, The Guardian.


Poverty gap has not narrowed under Labour
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Thursday April 3 2008, The Guardian.


Failure to tackle fuel poverty a social disaster, ministers told
Miles Brignall, Thursday March 27 2008, The Guardian.


'My death might be seen as a cost saving'

Mental health service users fear moves to reduce the numbers on incapacity benefit will make life intolerable, writes Peter Beresford


March 18, 2008, Guardian. ★★★★★



CPAG critical of government's New Deal back-to-work plans
7 February 2008, communitycare.co.uk.


Target practice

There are calls to cut the benefits paid to older and disabled people and move the cash to social services departments to pay for their care. But could it work?


Richard Berthoud and Ruth Hancock, Wednesday February 6 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★



Richer but less happy, we are now a pill-popping people

It will take more than a change in prescription rules to break Britain's growing dependence on antidepressants


Jackie Ashley, Monday February 11 2008, The Guardian.



Voluntary sector also tipped for contracts
Maria Ahmed, communitycare.co.uk, 28 January 2008.


A taxing problem

'No ifs, no buts': the government will turn a blind eye if you are rich, says Adam Taylor


Wednesday January 10, 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★



Peter Stanford: David Cameron, disability, and the nasty party ★★★★★
Wednesday, 9 January 2008, The Independent.


Cameron promises crackdown on incapacity benefit
Andrew Grice, Sunday, 6 January 2008, The Independent.


2007


Another way into work

Sally Reynolds, head of Social Firms UK, explains how her charity helps provide sustainable employment opportunities for disabled and severely disadvantaged people


Tuesday December 18 2007, Society Guardian.



Providers to get results-based payments to help jobless into work
Caroline Lovell, communitycare.co.uk, 28 November 2007.


Unemployed face losing benefits if they refuse training
Will Woodward, chief political correspondent, The Guardian, Tuesday November 27, 2007.


Harsh rules force poor to spurn tax credits

Ombudsman condemns 'unfair' repayment regime · Claimants afraid to deal with Revenue officials


David Hencke and Phillip Inman, Tuesday October 9 2007, The Guardian.



Just the job

Returning to work after a long period of unemployment brings many people satisfaction, says Mark Lovell, whose organisation manages to place someone in a job they want every 10 minutes


Mark Lovell, Thursday August 23 2007, Society Guardian.



Note: ★★★★★ = highly recommended