Simon Squibb’s Post

The UK government plans to alter how Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are distributed to disabled individuals, shifting from cash to potentially vouchers or one-off grants. PIP is intended to allow disabled citizens to live independent lives. Adrien Astre criticises the UK’s proposal to change PIP distribution from cash to vouchers, arguing it undermines the autonomy of disabled people. Astre says payments provide dignity and independence for individuals with disabilities. The article highlights issues with the current PIP assessment process, noting that non-specialist assessors often lack updated knowledge, leading to arbitrary and inadequate support for claimants. Astre calls for a more compassionate and informed approach, stressing the importance of claimants autonomy. https://lnkd.in/gN6hS749 #uk #government #PIP #disability #independence #autonomy #politics #journalism

Stress is growing in the USA, with the number who’ve experienced it in the last 12 months growing 29% in the last three years. There’s likely a number of factors at play, with people still adjusting to their post-pandemic lives and coming to terms with what they lost. 😨 As for the most stressed state of all, that honor goes to Iowa. Clearly it’s not just the politicians who get worked up during caucus season. Get more insights with our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ezwNBg3N #GWI

With most U.S. households living paycheck to paycheck, economic shocks due to unemployment or being out sick — often without pay — can quickly lead to food insufficiency In a new paper, we expand on earlier work showing that the expanded Child Tax Credit was associated with reduced food insufficiency We find that the expanded Child Tax Credit was especially protective in households experiencing economic shocks due to unemployment or illness https://lnkd.in/gSAkpbcC in Health Affairs Thanks to student Nicole McCann for leading this study and to Lorraine Dean, Allison Bovell-Ammon, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Tiffany Green, and Paul Shafer for collaborating

Shock figures reveal that 14 children were discovered carrying a knife every day last year in England and Wales. Police data obtained by Labour shows a concerning 84% increase in under-18s caught with blades since 2018. With 5,239 incidents reported last year, the actual number is likely higher due to missing data from 12 forces, including key metropolitan areas. Amid the backdrop of rising stabbings and alarming statistics, Labour's Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, pledges to revolutionize the lives of teenagers by addressing the surge in knife crime. Cooper highlights the urgent need for intervention, citing the failure of Tory governments to ensure young people's safety. In response, Labour proposes the Young Futures program, designed to prevent knife crime among youth. The initiative includes establishing 100 new youth hubs, deploying youth workers in critical locations, and taking stricter measures against young individuals found with knives. At Real Direction, we are actively collaborating with schools and community organizations to educate young individuals on these critical issues. Our interactive content aims to engage youth in meaningful discussions and provide practical advice on navigating situations that may lead them into dangerous networks.

#ThoughtfulThursday: Child Labor Economic necessity drives many children into the labor force. A study led by Dr. Aubrey Tabuga revealed that most working children had to work to help their families financially because they were poor. This meant they missed going to school, making it harder for them to secure better jobs in the future. Learn more about this PIDS study here: https://lnkd.in/gdpWXaiK

The study of probability teaches us about the likelihood of an event occurring. The following events are likely to occur during the election year: children will be kissed by politicians, promises will be made to disadvantaged communities, politicians will be shocked by poor service delivery. Furthermore, they will be angered by exponential increase in unemployment between people aged 15-34.

You can modify your child support order when financial circumstances change. Find the answer to “Does child support increase if salary increases?” in Texas. https://bit.ly/3S88tTy #TexasLaw #FamilyCourt #TexasFamilyCourt #FamilyLaw #FamilyLawyer #TexasFamilyLaw #TexasAttorney #FortBendCounty #HarrisCounty #BrazoriaCounty

2023-Sep-02 Prem Sikka : `Once upon a time, humans were sacrificed to appease the gods. That practice hasn't changed. In contemporary Britain, humans are sacrificed or killed to appease the 1% and defunct economic theories. Since 2010, nearly two million Brits have died or have been intentionally or unintentionally killed by government imposed austerity, poverty and destruction of public services. It isn't just dictators and despots who kill their own citizens in frenzied chase for power, wealth and ideology. Neoliberal governments do it too. They do not turn tanks and warplanes against their own population, but they intentionally or unintentionally kill millions of their citizens by inflicting poverty, austerity, low wages and poor healthcare. Media silence in the UK is deafening. Political parties hijacked by corporations and the 1% offer more of the same insanity. Millions more will die at the altar of austerity and defunct economic theories unless competing discourses are made more voluble.` https://lnkd.in/eFiNu6Vk https://lnkd.in/e7iKGtyX

Worth a read. "The Neoliberal Lie One thing that neoliberalism decisively did not give us was a smaller or weaker state. State spending has continued to grow throughout the neoliberal era—as much due to lobbying for corporate welfare and crisis bailouts as to demands for higher spending on public services. In the US, state spending as a percentage of GDP is far higher today than it was during the 1970s, and much of the increase took place during the heyday of neoliberalism. In the UK, successive neoliberal governments managed to cut public spending, only to see it soar to its highest peacetime levels as they rushed to bail out the banks whose recklessness had been fueled by neoliberal macroeconomic policies." #capitalism #vulturecapitalism #businessethics

New data from #UnitedForALICE reveals a troubling trend: despite increased wages, struggling families in the U.S. continue to grow. Why? As wages rise, so do costs, leaving ALICE families struggling to keep up. In Franklin County, Ohio, a family of four saw basic expenses climb from $90,360 to $96,480 one year later, excluding tax credits. Adding to the challenge, the loss of up to $15,000 in federal child tax credits and stimulus payments in 2022. What can we do about this? Learn more at UnitedForALICE.org #LiveUnited #UWMOC #ALICE2024