The Paula Principle

Universal Credit

Universal Credit and the dominance of the full-time model

Universal Credit must be high up on the list of policy initiatives which begin with a laudable goal and end up pointing in the wrong direction. The goal of simplification, streamlining the  mad proliferation of benefits, is obviously desirable, but there is increasing evidence on the potentially devastating impact it will have on the more marginal members of society. Most of the recent press attention has concentrated on the impact of the 6-week delays in payments on families that have no resources to fall back on.  But now more of us are becoming aware of other implications - see the powerful piece by Pilgrim Tucker in the Guardian .  I'm…
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Pay gaps, at both ends of the scale. And OECD on an overblown finance sector.

Two heavy-duty reports came out recently,  both relevant to the PP though from very different angles. First a commission set up by the Resolution Foundation to look at the attempts to introduce Universal Credit produced its final report, Making the most of UC.  Mainly this grapples with the incredibly complex issues posed by the attempt to simplify the benefits system through Universal Credit.  I'd blow several gaskets if I even attempted to summarise it here, but one of the central issues is how to enable people work at lower levels to earn more, and to keep more of their earnings.   The current system often traps people in low-earning jobs,…
Read More

Universal Credit and the dominance of the full-time model

Universal Credit must be high up on the list of policy initiatives which begin with a laudable goal and end up pointing in the wrong direction. The goal of simplification, streamlining the  mad proliferation of benefits, is obviously desirable, but there is increasing evidence on the potentially devastating impact it will have on the more marginal members of society. Most of the recent press attention has concentrated on the impact of the 6-week delays in payments on families that have no resources to fall back on.  But now more of us are becoming aware of other implications - see the powerful piece by Pilgrim Tucker in the Guardian .  I'm…
Read More

Pay gaps, at both ends of the scale. And OECD on an overblown finance sector.

Two heavy-duty reports came out recently,  both relevant to the PP though from very different angles. First a commission set up by the Resolution Foundation to look at the attempts to introduce Universal Credit produced its final report, Making the most of UC.  Mainly this grapples with the incredibly complex issues posed by the attempt to simplify the benefits system through Universal Credit.  I'd blow several gaskets if I even attempted to summarise it here, but one of the central issues is how to enable people work at lower levels to earn more, and to keep more of their earnings.   The current system often traps people in low-earning jobs,…
Read More