Access to DWP bank accounts

Unfortunately not, @Catherine21 and I have an MR in as the capital never exceeded 16k with COL so the claim was closed in error. 13k was declared at the outset and the right deductions made. It's additional ££ lying in the current account was never declared (but never over the 16k in total)

The most frustrating part of this is the closed journal. My son doesn't need UC as he lives at home and most of his activities are heavily subsidised. His disability payment covers it.

The other annoying thing is his NI contributions will have stopped and we cannot start voluntary contributions for him as we have no financial powers. But he is under a guardianship and considered incapable of making any financial decisions.

Not good!

So the '21' doesn't refer to your age then? ;-)

At a guess, I would have gone with at least Sunderland, thanks for the info.

Funnily enough @Ranald my Mum was from Roker in Sunderland!

So that would make exact sense as to why I use 'neb/nebby/neb in'

Does anyone recognise this word also from Sunderland: spelk

Anyone know what a spelk is? (I still do if you're stuck but let you guess first)

I'I'm from County Durham and i know what a spelk is. It's a ssplinter.

Back to topic,though. I think all we can do,is wait until March 26th. Maybe something will be mentioned about the DWP account checking plans.

Lol yes, you're right - a splinter! Obvs that was the word i learned first from my mum but, going to school in Oldham, i still remember getting a question mark next to it when i wrote up my 'news' as a 6 yr old!

The teacher told me she had never heard of spelk and it was a splinter. I have used splinter ever since but never forgotton spelk.

Yes i did need to look that one up @Ranald ! Will ask hubby when he returns from work as he is Scottish.

Back on track: these benefit reforms were very briefly mentioned on Peston last night. Present benefit bill is apparently ¼TRILLION quid which is unsustainable.

Brief mumble about getting more folks into work and then they cut to another topic.

There was that bit on yesterday's news about getting 14yr olds onto apprenticeships which makes sense if they are failing in education. To support young people not to fall into disability in the first place is an obvious place to start.

So many of our young folks are developing serious mental health issues and this is a tragedy which could surely be reduced if only these kids could get the right mentoring and support to skill them up and give them the confidence and strength to suceed.

The government is seriously concerned about the next generation coming up - not just the teens who are already not looking like a robust workforce, but the younger ones starting primary school in nappies, language skills way behind, serious behaviour problems and learning support needs - those kids will be the benefit claimants and prison population of the future without some action taken.

Just my own thoughts there of course - none of that was discussed on Peston.

I thought it was a high figure @Ranald but numbers aren't my strong point, to the point i don't even know how many zeros a trillion has!

100% that's the figure quoted on Peston last night - about 20 mins from the programme's end.

Of course, employers were literally crying out for an army of disabled employees!

My feeling is they will be looking at those who have become disabled by socio-economic factors - depression, anxiety, neurodivergence which has rocketed in modern times, the sorts of conditions which can be ameliorated by environment.

As a non disabled person myself, i can certainly confirm that there are people out there thinking 'what benefits can i claim' as soon as neurodivergence is raised as an issue in their child - and no wonder when families are struggling in desperate poverty.

Some sickness and disability in the population currently must be attributable to the state the UK is in and my feeling is this is where the government will look. Though of course that means massive investment in the social sector - not exactly a saving.