Live Event: Welfare and Social Security

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Welfare and Social Security – Discussions on organising resistance in post-pandemic capitalism

About this event

Our summer programme, Discussions on Organising Resistance in Pandemic Capitalism, is a collection of panels bringing together the voices currently fighting alongside us across the globe.

The first event centres on struggles around Welfare and Social Security. We are excited to be joined by WinVisible, Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty and John Clarke from Canada.

Each group will give a brief introduction of their work, then we will have a round table discussion allowing each group to talk more about specific successes and difficulties. There will then be an opportunity to ask questions, and join in the discussion.

July 17th at 18:00 BST.

More information about our panelists:

https://winvisibleblog.wordpress.com/

http://edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk/

https://johnclarkeblog.com/

Get a free ticket over on Eventbrite

Positive Covid Test at Leith Jobcentre

Photo of a group of activists from Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty outside a job centre asking others to take direct action against sanctions
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A staff member at Leith Jobcentre has tested positive for Covid, raising yet more questions about the DWP drive to force claimants and workers back into the jobcentres. On 29 June the Jobcentre worker learnt that they were a close contact of someone who was Covid positive. They were rightly sent home to isolate.

However, the DWP went ahead with a Jobs Fair in the Jobcentre the next day, 30 June, on the first floor where this staff member had worked. And when it was learnt on 30 June that the staff member had indeed tested positive, the DWP still kept the Jobcentre open to the public for the rest of the week. At the ECAP stall outside Leith jobcentre on 1st July we witnessed claimants going into the Jobcentre.

ECAP have written to the DWP’s East Scotland Jobcentre Services Leader, Suzanne Mann, to insist on answers to these questions:

  • Has there been an investigation into whether the staff member who tested positive for Covid had close contact with any other staff members or claimants?
  • If there was close contact have people been advised to go home, get tested and isolate?
  • Were any close contacts of the Covid-positive staff member present at the Jobs Fair on 30 June?
  • Have all attending the Jobs Fair been informed that a staff member present in the same part of the jobcentre the previous day, has tested positive?
  • Are all staff taking 2 Lateral Flow Tests per week as advised by the Scottish Government https://www.nhsinform.scot/testing?
  • Why was the Jobs Fair allowed to go ahead​?
  • Why did the Jobcentre continue to admit claimants and members of the public for the rest of the week?
  • Will the East Scotland jobcentres now review and change the policy of ramping up scheduled / mandatory jobcentre appointments?

This episode shows the danger posed by the DWP policy of restarting mandatory jobcentre appointments and increasing footfall in Jobcentres when nearly 40% of adults in Scotland still lack full vaccination protection.

Read more over on the ECAP website.

Stop the Reckless Return to Compulsory Jobcentre Appointments – Resist All Sanctions

Photo of a group of activists from Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty outside a job centre asking others to take direct action against sanctions
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From Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP)

STOP THE RECKLESS RETURN TO COMPULSORY JOBCENTRE APPOINTMENTS – RESIST ALL SANCTIONS

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty supporters gathered outside High Riggs Jobcentre on 18 June to give solidarity to claimants facing renewed sanction threats from the DWP.

“NO MANDATORY JOBCENTRE APPOINTMENTS” and “NO SANCTIONS – NO CONDITIONS ON BENEFITS” proclaimed posters plastered on the Jobcentre walls.

Claimants in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland have recently reported being called into Jobcentres for compulsory appointments, and also being subjected to phone appointments where it was made clear that conditionality and hence sanctions were back in operation.

DWP management are pressurising work coaches, telling them they have to see 15 claimants per day in face-to-face appointments. Jobcentre workers and the PCS Union are telling the DWP this is reckless when the covid pandemic still presents a real risk, with many younger people still without full vaccination protection. In a consultative safety ballot 74% of PCS members who voted, stated they were prepared to take strike action to protect their safety.

Jobcentres in Glasgow and Wigan have already had to close due to Covid outbreaks.

Remember claimants have the right to be accompanied to all appointments, whether face-to-face or on the phone. For phone appointments you can put your phone on speaker and have someone with you who can speak up to support you if you are being hassled or threatened.

ECAP calls on people Britain-wide to step up resistance to the re-imposition of conditionality/ sanctions and compulsory jobcentre appointments. To join our regular advocacy stalls at High Riggs and Leith jobcentres in Edinburgh email us at ecap@lists.riseup.net or leave a message at 0131 557 6242.

Eviction happening now in Pollokshields

Immigration officers surrounded by residents of Kenmure Street, Pollokshields
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An urgent situation is developing in Pollokshields, Glasgow. Residents are calling for immediate support to prevent the immigration officers evicting folk on Kenmure Street.

If you are local to Pollokshields please head down there now.

SCALP bust card

ECAP are back!

ECAP activists outside of the Job Centre
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ECAP have restarted our stalls outside Edinburgh Jobcentres to give solidarity to claimants facing the DWP’s moves to re-impose conditionality and threaten sanctions. The DWP stated that mandatory face-to-face jobcentre appointments would restart in Scotland from 26th April. This despite opposition from jobcentre workers who are deeply concerned about the threat of covid infections caused by this dangerous and unneccessary move. The PCS union are now holding a consultative ballot over taking industrial action on the issue.

On 29th April ECAP were outside Leith Jobcentre on Commercial Street – see photos. We were also publicising the drop-in food bank held at the Autonomous Centre every thursday by Oficina Precaria. We plan to hold regular stalls at Leith and at High Riggs jobcentres. We are holding the stalls in a safe manner within covid guidelines, with masks, social distancing and a small number of participants. If you would like to get involved – more people would enable us to do the stalls more often – please contact ecap@lists.riseup.net , leave a message on our facebook or leave a message at 0131 557 6242

£20 More for All Benefits: Day of Action

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Via Edinburgh Coallition Against Poverty

We join the 2nd UK Day of Action called by Disabled People Against Cuts to demand that the £20 increase to Universal Credit introduced at the start of the pandemic be made permanent and extended to other benefits.

That the increase did not apply to legacy benefits demonstrates how the hostile environment the DWP has created for disabled claimants has not been mitigated, despite the ‘solidarity’ posturing all governments are adopting in pandemic times. We therefore call for the UK government to #KeepTheLifeline and #IncreaseDisabilityBenefits.

Read more over on ECAP.

Mon 1 March: Universal Credit 2nd day of action to keep £20 — and more

No cuts to benefits! Keep the £20 uplift and fight for more
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Via Winvisible; Fight for £20 more for claimants on other benefits

We invite everyone to join the 2nd UK Day of Action to keep the £20 increase to Universal Credit and extend it to other benefits.  Ahead of the Budget on Wednesday 3 March.  Called by Disabled People Against Cuts.

Follow us on Twitter on Monday 1 March @WinVisibleWomen

On the first day of action, 6 February 2021, there were actions UK-wide online and socially distanced.  Including in Birmingham, Darlington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lancaster, Portsmouth, and from the North of Ireland.  Communities and groups of all kinds want the £20 lifeline kept and extended. Pressure is growing.  On 9 February, MPs on the Work and Pensions Select Committee called for the extension to “prevent hundreds of thousands falling into (greater) poverty”.  Many sick and disabled women on Universal Credit have been left in limbo with no disability addition to UC as their telephone interview by Maximus was deemed “inconclusive”.

#20More4All because ESA, JSA, Carers Allowance have not been increased.

No cuts to benefits. Keep the £20 uplift and fight for more.
No cuts to benefits. Keep the £20 uplight and fight for more! #20More4All #NoCutsToBenefits

DPAC are asking people to:

  • “Take and share selfies on the day using the hashtag #20More4All
  • Put up and share posters and stickers. You can:
  • We are asking all our supporters to email your MP telling them why it is important to you that the uplift is extended to legacy benefits. You can find a template letter here: https://dpac.uk.net/2021/02/email-your-mp-to-call-for-20-uplift-to-stay-be-applied-to-legacy-benefits/
    Please also email a copy to us at: 20More4All@gmail.com that we can send on the both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We want to deliver as many letters and expressions of concern on this issue as possible to before the Spring Budget on 3 March.
  • We are also looking for disabled people on legacy benefits who haven’t had the £20 uplift and are struggling to manage financially to speak to the media. If you could help us please send an outline of your situation and contact details to mail@dpac.uk.net
  • You can also have your say anonymously – about your experiences and what the uplift means to you but filling in this extremely quick and straightforward survey: https://forms.gle/Y5uB5Mp95oJfzgAg6 [Thanks to Sheffield DPAC and @imaJSAclaimant for producing this].
  • Make your own banners for local banner drops that can be done without breaking social distancing guidelines.
  • For those that can, go out and hold socially distanced protests.”

There are two petitions you can sign:

Disability Benefits Must be Extended Indefinitely – STOP the Reviews!

Photo of a protest at Scottish Parliment against PIP
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Several claimants being supported by ECAP recently received letters informing them that either their Personal Independence Payment or their Employment and Support Allowance award was to be reviewed. This news is bad enough at any time, as the review could result in your benefits being reduced or cut completely – but it’s even worse during a pandemic when it’s much more difficult to access support, or contact medical professionals to obtain evidence.

ECAP says – all scheduled reviews for disability/ sickness benefits like Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance should be completely suspended during the pandemic, and the benefits extended indefinitely, on top of the nine month extensions the Government is implementing for PIP claimants. Reviews were suspended during the first wave of the pandemic and the situation right now is worse in many ways. (Virtually no welfare rights services and claimants solidarity groups can currently offer face-to-face appointments, just support by phone and email.)

Read more over on the ECAP website.