The April Fool's Day welfare changes are no joke. They are a serious threat to those living in poverty in the UK. Katherine Trebeck, Research and Policy Adviser for Oxfam's UK Poverty programme, dismantles the Chancellor's claim that charities, churches and commentators are spreading "ill-informed
rubbish", showing it to be based on little more than easy fictions and broad stereotypes.
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As we hang on to the vestiges of our New Year's resolutions to be more friendly and kind, I can't help feeling that this spirit is somewhat bounded and constrained. As the benefits budget takes another hit this week, it feels more and more that the welfare system is the child constantly picked on, whose unpopularity makes it easy fodder for the axe of the powerful.
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