Fringe benefits
The Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has just relaunched a campaign on unclaimed benefits under the slogan "Are you entitled to more money?" The minister says Β£6 million in benefits weren't claimed last year.
I presume this isn't connected to the news that the DUP MLAs David Hilditch and Allan Bresland are in receipt of disability benefit. The issue prompted quite a reaction both on the Slugger O'Toole website, where it was originally posted by the Ulster Unionist Michael Shilliday, and then on today's Nolan Show, on which Mr Hilditch mounted a reasoned defence. He pointed out that he suffers from osteo-arthritis and disability living allowance isn't means tested, so should not be offset against his MLA salary.
The Stormont register of members interests, which reveals the DLA claims, is worth a look. Nothing too scandalous that I can see. But if you want to find out which politicians are masons (Leslie Cree and Sammy Gardiner),which is a subpostmaster (Stephen Moutray), who is a rifle and pistol enthusiast (David Simpson) and who plays in a silver band (Danny Kennedy) then it's the place for you.
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I do want to reiterate that I wasn't making any kind of party political point! From what I can tell now, they both SHOULD be claiming the money as it seems to be pretty difficult to come of and on DLA as it is needed. What my point was, is that it shouldn't be possible for high earners, which MLAs are, to claim a benefit that some people rely on to survive. It should however to possible for high earners to go back onto anything that they are entitled to at a lower earnings threshold if times become hard. That question was trying to come out on Nolan this morning, but got buried beneath the benefit fraud issue.
My view of the welfare state is that I pay tax and NI and can expect health provision when I need it, a pension when I need it and benefits WHEN I NEED THEM.
It is interesting to note that both Margaret Ritchie and Jim Wells are both directors on the St Patricks Centre in Downpatrick. For years the SDLP and DUP hsve been at loggerheads over various issues where here they are united on the promotion of St. Patrick. Could these two politicans unite to bring jobs and investments to County Down to save the unemployed sitting in the pub.
Peoples justification for claiming the benefits they are entitled to is no-ones business but their own and they benefits agency responsible..disability living allowance both care and mobility components are Not means tested as they are there to help tackle some of the basic difficulties in having a disability, without effecting your ability to earn a decent wage.
Perhapse the Nolan show could spend a little more time looking into the inconsistencies in members declaration of interests and claims for expenses, that passing judgment upon the worthiness of individuals to claim their legally entitled benifits