Jobseekers who reject help for alcohol and drug addiction face benefits cut

Unemployed people will be subject to a new benefits regime. When unemployed people are suspected of suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction and refuse treatment, they will have their benefits cut. The staff in Jobcenter Plus offices will be granted the power to cut the claimants benefits if they reject treatment. Analysis shows that almost 40.000 people claim incapacity benefits with alcoholism as their primary diagnoses, 13.500 of these have been claiming for at least 10 years.

My reaction.

I feel this is a step in the right direction. If you are an addict you should seek help. If you are an addict who claims money from the community you should definitely seek help, if you refuse this I think it is only right that you would be cut on your benefits. I hope this new regime will be accepted by parliament when it appears next April. I do wonder about granting that sort of power to the employees at the Jobcenter who is going to check them and see if they are doing their job right?

Sunday, 20 May 2012

UK Prepares for Greek Exit

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/20/banks-ready-for-greece-eurozone-exit

UK banks are ready for Greek exit, says Bank of England adviser.

Britain's banks are preparing for a possible Greek exit from the Euro zone. Michael Chohrs, a member of a Bank of England regulatory body says in his first interview "British banks are ready for Greece, their liquidity is strong and they have enough capital to withstand shocks from Greece” He says it is advisable for the banks to keep building up more capital, but that is only because of the current uncertainty in the Euro zone.

My reaction

I feel it is sad but necessary to prepare for a possible Greek exit. It is nice to know that the Banks of England feel that they are prepared to deal with it without going under together with the Greeks. I hope the Dutch banks are similarly preparing for that event and that we as taxpayers don't suffer to much because of it. I hope the Greek will come to their senses and elect a government that will uphold the budget cuts instead of one that will disregard them. We'll see on the 17^th of June.