Crass comments beggar belief

As a volunteer at my local foodbank I see first hand the direct results of the current Government’s policy on restricting and reducing much-needed benefits, so although I am already incensed by this administration’s vindictive, uncaring and dismissive attitude to those in genuine need, I was rendered apoplectic by the unbelievable comment from the Department for Work and Pensions last week to the effect that: “Work is the best route out of poverty, so we’re making sure it pays to work and supporting people into employment. Our reforms are specifically designed to improve the lives of the poorest in our society”

The crassness of such utterances beggars belief and would be hilarious if it was not so tragic. This sounds positively Dickensian - why don’t they just reintroduce the workhouse and be done with it?

Tell this to the young unemployed, homeless couple I saw in our Foodbank last week who asked for something easy to warm on the radiator of their car, as that is where they having to live at the moment.

Tell this to the man who because he made a mistake on his Job Seekers Allowance application form (saying he was available to work Monday to Friday, when he actually meant Thursday to Thursday) was “sanctioned” for four weeks and therefore paid nothing to live on for a month. However, the Job Centre did at least give him a voucher for our foodbank to keep him going, which seems to be an increasing trend with them (maybe to ease their consciences?).

What a good job the use of foodbanks is apparently, according to them, nothing to do with the Government’s benefits policy - just imagine how many more would use them if it was.

John Payton, Woodloes Park, Warwick