Exeter and Truro bishops speak out on welfare Bill
Forty-three Church of England bishops have written an open letter, published in today's Sunday Telegraph, which criticises a proposed Bill on benefit increases. The signatories include Michael Langrish, the Bishop of Exeter and Tim Thornton, the Bishop of Truro.
Writing about the proposed Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill, to be debated in the Lords next week, the bishops say:
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Bishop of Truro and Bishop of Exeter (Photos: Diocese of Truro and Diocese of Exeter)
"The Bill will mean that for each of the next three years, most financial support for families will increase by no more than 1 per cent, regardless of how much prices rise.
This is a change that will have a deeply disproportionate impact on families with children, pushing 200,000 children into poverty. A third of all households will be affected by the Bill, but nearly nine out of 10 families with children will be hit."
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The bishops' letter provides examples of a nurse with two children, as a single parent, who would lose £424 a year by 2015 and an Army corporal with three children, who would lose £552 per year. They emphasise that "...the change will hit the poorest the hardest. About 60 per cent of the savings from the uprating cap will come from the poorest third of households."
The letter concludes:
"Children and families are already being hit hard by cuts to support, including those to tax credits, maternity benefits, and help with housing costs. They cannot afford this further hardship penalty. We are calling on the House of Lords to take action to protect children from the impact of this Bill."
The letter is backed by the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Justin Welby and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu. Rev Welby said "Politicians have a clear choice. By protecting children from the effects of this Bill, they can help fulfil their commitment to end child poverty."
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said "In difficult economic times we've protected the incomes of pensioners and disabled people, and most working age benefits will continue to increase 1%. This was a tough decision but it's one that will help keep the welfare bill sustainable in the longer term."
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper commented "They should just have the benefits go forward linked to inflation this year. You could do it by paying for it by restricting pensions tax relief on the very highest earners. That would be a fair way to help everybody."
13 Comments
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by Nevman
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 2:17PM
“Let's all miss the point, shall we?”
by fazer58
Monday, March 11 2013, 11:01AM
“Who do the Church speak for these days? I only know a small handful of people below pensionable age who go to church and they're all Polish migrants and Catholics. Without wishing to offend Christians their cult has had its day and there are enough holes in the whole thing for most thinking people to give it a miss.I'm fine with them doing what they do,having their say in their own little world but why in this day and age do a bunch of people belonging to a minority sect have any say in the laws of this country?
Maybe they should sort out the prejudice and corruption in their own little world before literally preaching to the rest of us.”
by Plukie2
Monday, March 11 2013, 9:37AM
“@jabbathebutt was there really any need of the name calling? Is it not possible to point out your opinion in a way that doesn't involve getting personal? Obviously not. Once you resort to swearing or name calling then you have lost the argument.”
by jtme1
Monday, March 11 2013, 12:21AM
“whats it gota do with the church? + free loaders should of bothered to vote at the last election then they could of stopped this.”
by CharlieDodd
Sunday, March 10 2013, 11:36PM
“The anti-women C of E bosses made fools of themselves recently by voting to ban women bishops even though the Bible says "There are no males or females in Gods eyes, we're all equal" (Galatians 3:28), so by now playing the Benefits card they're trying to wheedle their way back into the public affection..:)”
by Lashius
Sunday, March 10 2013, 10:44PM
“as for your comments about me and plukie jabba ive seen your comments on here, your a racist homophobe right wing nutjob what the hell do I care of the opinion of a **** like that? You dont like my opinions feel free to not read them simples.”
by Lashius
Sunday, March 10 2013, 10:43PM
“jabbathebutt you know that by remaining tax exempt that's potentially hundreds of millions of pounds the country's missing out on via these cults? its not the churches responsibility to fund the welfare state as you put it but when your an organization which is by all accounts extremely rich its very hypocritical to preach to others about giving as they do.....its like when local community's have to dip into there own pockets to fund church repairs etc...is that not taking the **** when the parent organization which owns such buildings has so much money?
Religions are the biggest tax dodgers of the lot, but of course no mention is made of that in the media as its far easier to just blame immigrants, benefits scroungers etc then start a campaign to make religions pay tax.”
by jabbathebutt
Sunday, March 10 2013, 10:15PM
“I apologise ... shouldnt have called you two numpties . It should have been dumb and dumber .”
by jabbathebutt
Sunday, March 10 2013, 10:14PM
“And by the way you two numpties ... the 53 mllion a day given away (in case you wondered in your small minds ?) comes from the VAT that you pay on everything .”
by jabbathebutt
Sunday, March 10 2013, 9:59PM
“@plukie2 and Lashius... It isnt the churches responsibilty to fund the welfare state . Taxpayers expect their own to be looked after when in need . Churches dont give 53 million quid a day of your tax money to unelected socialists to spread out to others .
You got a gripe about why are our people are poor and there are no proper jobs for our people and the state of this country and all its ills ? .... dont blame the church .
I am not religious .... but they as well as us are pointing out that our money is not going to us . Wether its the NHS or your local library or the druggies that live down the potholed road that used to lead to an old folks home for people who fought for this country - or even police on the cheap renamed .... "our" money is not going on "us" .”