Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey admitted yesterday (October 11) that Universal Credit (UC) will make people worse off – as pressure increased on the government for it to be scrapped. …Read more…
‘Hostile environment’
When the new benefits sanctions regime was first introduced in 2012, prime minister David Cameron’s Conservative government proudly declared it was ending the so-called “something for nothing…Read more…
‘Truly appalling’
Tens of thousands of sick and disabled people have been denied benefits they were legally entitled to because of “shoddy administration”, according to an official report. A National Audit…Read more…
Free labour scandal
Halfords has been criticised for running a government-backed traineeship first exposed by UniteLive that sees young jobseekers work for two months without pay. Financial services firm…Read more…
‘Human catastrophe’
The treatment of disabled people under the Tories is a “human catastrophe” the United Nations has said. In a damning indictment, the UN Committee on the rights of disabled people said that…Read more…
‘Abhorrent’
The Tories have imposed benefit sanctions lasting at least six months on nearly 6,000 sick and disabled people, shocking new figures show. Department for work and pensions (DWP) data revealed…Read more…
Compassion wins the day
A new report has revealed the staggering success of Unite Community members in overturning wrongly implemented benefits sanctions in Newcastle and the north east. The newly published annual…Read more…
‘Worst experience of my life’
Unite Community members took to the streets outside job centres across Britain in droves today (March 30) as part of Unite Community’s third annual national demo against benefits sanctions. …Read more…
No to sanctions
Unite members will come together across Britain tomorrow (March 29) in a national day of action to stop benefits sanctions, with demonstrations in cities and towns up and down the country at over 80…Read more…
Sanctioned to sleeping rough
The government’s despised benefit sanctions regime has pushed people into sleeping rough, a scathing report by MPs has concluded. The cruel measures that punish claimants for missing or being…Read more…
‘We are all Daniel Blake’ protest
Members of Unite Community’s West London branch will stage a ‘We are all Daniel Blake’ protest outside four west London job centres tomorrow (November 23) from 11am, as part of a day of action…Read more…
‘National shame’
A damning United Nations inquiry has concluded that vicious Tory cuts to welfare and social care for disabled people in Britain amount to “systematic violations” of their rights. The UN said…Read more…
Like a criminal
From a Unite Community member’s real-life ‘Daniel Blake’ benefit sanctions experience: “I asked how I was supposed to survive for the week with no money and having to live on…Read more…
‘Me versus the world’
With Ken Loach’s award-winning film I, Daniel Blake exposing the cruel reality of life those caught up in Britain’s brutal benefits’ system, we asked people to tell us what it’s like to be at the…Read more…
Placards at the premiere
Last night saw the West End premiere of Ken Loach’s new film about sanctions, I Daniel Blake. Unite Community members joined Ken on the red carpet – and Unite Community’s…Read more…
Pointless and cruel
Former paramedic Fred Williamson spent 31 years coming to the aid of others in their time of crisis. When the 62-year-old was diagnosed with terminal leukaemia he expected some help in return from a…Read more…
We are all Daniel Blake
This week I was given the opportunity to see an early preview of Ken Loach’s new film, I, Daniel Blake. The film follows the struggle of character Daniel Blake, played by Dave Johns in his recovery…Read more…
So much anger, so much pain
Ahead of the US premiere of Ken Loach’s latest film, I, Daniel Blake, one reviewer called it a “joyous, funny and moving portrait of man”. At the heart of this portrait is the film’s title…Read more…
‘Into a hellhole’
Exactly half a century after the iconic television play Cathy Come Home sparked a national conversation about homelessness, another Ken Loach production, a film which will be released in cinemas…Read more…
‘Dehumanising’ trial extended
Hardworking families are now being targeted by the government’s vicious benefit sanctions regime, a major new study has found. As well as finding that vulnerable unemployed people are being…Read more…