There is an urgent need for real evidence-gathering re DWP practices, not dehumanising experimentation

Kate Belgrave's blog post Video: Learning and literacy difficulties and need to drop a sick note to the jobcentre? Too bad. You're banned. Get out (1) emphasises for me the need for real evidence-gathering regarding what the State is doing rather than swallowing the bullshit of think tanks such as Reform.uk. (2)

Meanwhile, there is a DWP consultation on regarding 'Universal Credit experimental statistics', (3) deadline 24 October, and a Dr David Webster analysis for Child Poverty Action Group, regarding the DWP 17 August 2017 sanctions statistics publication.(4)

An unconditional Universal Basic Income would boost workers' bargaining power.(5) 

 

The Department for Work & Pensions' benefit sanctions penalise the people lacking 'independent means' for non-compliance with contract terms that are unreasonable.(6) Meanwhile the DWP's 'Advance Payments' that are really repayable loans while claimants are kept waiting months for payments grind poor people into the dirt of an unfair society's making.(7) 

 

Together, the measures that go into the creation of Universal Credit and right wing welfare reforms in general grind people' noses into the dirt of slavery. At Kilburn Jobcentre, people not capable of work are maltreated institutionally by staff in ways that increase vulnerable people's likelihood of being hit by punitive sanctions for non-compliance with a 'Claimant Commitment'. At Kilburn and other jobcentres facing closure however, at least there is more 'access' for real 'evidence-gathering' than there would be in the entirely online world of the 'digital jobcentres' that Reform.uk and Accenture as principal contractor for Universal Credit implementation propose. 

 

Visible to supporters such as Kilburn Unemployed Workers Group, jobcentre 'service users' are at least able to interface with prospective supporters. Where would they be with 'digital jobcentres'? (8)

Ironic, therefore that the same UK Government has ratified a treaty toward outlawing modern slavery!(9)

 

The text image from Freedom United to back its peitition against modern slavery

Conclusion

 Evidence of the kind Kate Belgrave presents at http://www.katebelgrave.com/2017/10/video-learning-and-literacy-difficulties-and-need-to-drop-a-sick-note-to-the-jobcentre-too-bad-youre-banned-get-out/ should help to make those responsible squirm with shame at their public exposure. Much as those responsible pride themselves on their statistics, the ways that they induce those statistics are obtained degrade and dehumanise not just the people who are the subjects of the sanctions statistics, but also for those institutionalised into excluding the wellbeing of 'service users'.

Blog post by Dude Swheatie of Kwug

Link references

1. http://www.katebelgrave.com/2017/10/video-learning-and-literacy-difficulties-and-need-to-drop-a-sick-note-to-the-jobcentre-too-bad-youre-banned-get-out/
2. http://www.reform.uk/ 
3. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/universal-credit-experimental-statistics-future-developments 
4. http://www.cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/17-08%20Sanctions%20Stats%20Briefing%20-%20D.Webster.docx
5. http://basicincome.org/basic-income/ 
6. http://taxpayersagainstpoverty.org.uk/news/benefit-sanctions 
7. http://www.katebelgrave.com/2017/10/universal-credit-advance-payments-fix-nothing-theyre-just-loans-and-another-debt-for-people-who-have-no-money/
8. http://www.reform.uk/publication/the-future-of-public-services-digital-jobcentres/
9.