Letter: A history of benefit-cutting
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: The author of your profile of Peter Lilley refers to the security bestowed by the Social Security Secretary's 'suburban, middle- class family background', and goes on to say that social security is 'an area of social policy that has survived the past 13 years largely untouched' (Profile, 15 August).
The juxtaposition of the two opinions is ironic. Only someone completely out of touch with poor people's struggle for survival in modern Britain could have failed to notice the succession of benefits made harder to obtain, subjected to cash limits or simply abolished since 1979. If the Conservatives do introduce even stricter requirements on claimants' availability for work, and cut unemployment benefit entitlement, this will be nothing new. The trend has a long history, largely ignored by the press.
Yours faithfully,
BRIAN WILLIAMS
Lecturer in Social Work
University of Sheffield
Sheffield
15 August
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments