Roger Gale once again shows why he is such a good local MP, in this week's Gales View, he brings up the problem over payments with the family tax credit system and shows genuine concern for those constituents subject to this nightmare. The idea as I understand initially with the family tax credit system, was to give additional incentives to those people on low incomes and get some benefit from working. As Roger Gale points out, for many this has become a nightmare with, in his experience the average overpayment being something in the order of £2,000.
Presumably to government ministers this is a small problem, to those who have experienced low-pay, £2,000 is still a lot of money.
Apparently Revenue and Customs, take the view that people should have known about the errors, and should have put the money aside to repay the tax authorities. I myself know from speaking to people, that there have been errors with this system, from the start.
Clearly if anyone is to blame, given the fact that government must have known of the problems, from day one, maybe a more radical solution could be applied, instead of harassing threatening and generally frightening people on low pay, perhaps we could have a new system of civil service accountability, whereby cock-ups of it this magnitude, are paid for by taking money from they're generous pension funds or alternatively cutting their salaries, such action might actually concentrate the minds of these smug bureaucrats.
In many cases these hard-pressed families reported overpayments and were told to set the money aside, this is good advice if you are a well paid civil servant ticking off the day's until you receive your generous pension, but for someone who is just getting by it's not so easy to set hundreds of pounds aside, just because some government employee can't be bothered to sort the problem out.
I feel that our country, would be a better place, if people in the public sector, were more accountable and certainly they would be less smug if their salaries and pension benefits were determined on the basis of performance.
'I feel that our country, would be a better place, if people in the public sector, were more accountable and certainly they would be less smug if their salaries and pension benefits were determined on the basis of performance.'
ReplyDeleteI'm a civil servant and whilst realize your comment do not agree. Do you think we work any less harder than our private sector counterparts? Private industry and commerce is hardly in a position to be smug with it's bad record of management. Easy to make sweeping statements based on broad fact. We constantly work on a make do and mend basis and we work hard too. There are shirkers everywhere, it's just private sector feel better about their misgivings when slating the public sector.
p/s as for pensions the reason we were told we were paid less than the private sector on joining the civil service was because we would reap a reward to counterbalance that at retirement after 40 years service. Tell that to Sir Digby Jones of the CBI with his platinum plated pension to come.
ReplyDeleteCivil servants pay is performance related.
ReplyDeleteAccountability in any given employment has disappeared. As the government is among the worst offenders are we really surprised that no one else will admit to error.
ReplyDeleteThe whole business today is a farce and is hurting vulnerable people badly.
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ReplyDeleteI think public sector employees need to get real, my job I believe is statistically more dangerous than that of a fireman, I am often responsible and personally liable for the safety my colleagues as this is part of my job. Unfortunately I do not receive the £30,000 basic awarded to firemen who I believe retire on a full pension at 50 as I believe police officers also do.
ReplyDeleteLast night I noticed how are Thanet council have a handful of jobs available in their leisure department and was struck by how much TDC have to throw at these mediocre posts.
The public sector get good pay and good pensions, so don't kid yourself, those of us who work in the private sector, have to pay considerable amounts, towards public sector pensions, whilst not having have the remotest chance of obtaining a decent pension ourselves. When most public employees retire between 50 and 60 I will have the great privilege awarded to me by Gordon Brown and his ilk of working till such time I'm incapable and near ready for burial.
Now my I suggest to those of you in the public sector, get your heads down, and return to work and have a nice day. Just dont take life to seriously, dont give yourself a heart attack as I will have to pay for your sick pay (which oh, I dont get either).
Nice idea with this site its better than most of the rubbish I come across.
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