Your Doctor Debt: Ripon Ray

Thank you Mutual Covid Newham for inviting me to speak about universal credit on Zoom.

'Thank you Ripon for speaking at Ealing Covid 19 Mutual aid group on Universal credit.  I had no idea how complex the regime is and now understand how some of my clients have fallen through the gaps and ended up without money or support.  Despite the direness of the subject Ripon explained very clearly and with good humour. We'll ask you back again!'  Rheian Davies, Winner of Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, and Covid-19 Nurse at Nightingale  Hospital 

‘I had no clue why my universal credit claim was closed. I have not told DWP that my circumstances have changed.  I had taken out a loan for £5000 whilst I made an appeal against the decision of the DWP; otherwise, I won’t be able to pay my rent.’  Mila’s situation raises a number of questions in terms of whether her Universal Credit claim should have been stopped by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), or if she should have obtained the loan in the first place to pay her rent or that the appropriate loan company should have even given Mila the loan.  When I spoke to Mila though, her survival instinct drove her to make the application for the loan. If she had taken it out unethically, that no doubt raises more questions. The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduced a number of changes in the benefit system. One of these changes was the introduction of Universal Credit. Instead of making a number of claims for means tested benefits - such as support for housing cost a

This is a quick summary of the workings of zero hours contracts/or unpredictable hours of employment and their connection with universal credit. UCAN also covers how CORONAVIRUS would impact your benefit entitlement. 

On  Monju's Hot Seat , Relaks Radio,  Ripon, on behalf of UCAN,  talked about the state of Britain today in the context of welfare system and the housing crisis. Whilst on the show for two hours with Manju Haque, Ripon shared his thoughts on the way the welfare state has been transformed since its founding. In the 19th century, a period of great industrial change in Britain, welfare services were needed to improve the conditions of workers. Germany competed against Britain to develop such a system that was about advancing the safety net for workers compete in the global economic market.  Most of the services, however, were provided by churches, charities and work house institutions.  After the Second World War the state nationalised services once provided by local organisations.There were mass social housing development programmes, the creation of the National Health Service and the welfare and social care functions provided by local governments.  Ripon went to sa

UCAN and Positive Money Tower Hamlets organised a public meeting, supported from Tower Hamlets Community Housing Association to promote public awareness of universal credit.  There are a number of myths and pitfalls members of the public need to know about it; managed migration is one of those things that this meeting is to address. See you on 11 March 2020 at 7pm at Minerva Community Centre, Bethnal Green.