Alms and charity in the United Kingdom, an update from the time of Orwell.
Tonight I listened to the book at bedtime on BBC Radio Four.
In it Orwell argued against the state of workhouses without purpose and being transitory as not dealing the state a good enough support for its individuals. In the abridged version the quotes slanted that Homosexuality was prevelant in the tramp class as they weren’t fit for a relationship or marriage.
However there are ways in which the United Kingdom aids its poor better now.
The following benefits are available for mental health patients and those who have physical and learning disabilities.
Disability Living Allowance
Incapacity Benefit
Income Support
Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit (kept for the impaired and possibly their carers).
To get them you need a National Insurance Number which is issued when a person is at secondary school or registered by the state as home educated (aged 13-16). There are special circumstances to claim for those under 18 on top of their national insurance contributions.
However in Hillingdon at least in the late 1990s there was an information gap that saw some people not claim National Insurance Credits. This was due to deficits at the local council and a shortage of council housing after the right to buy sales of the 1980s.
This has affected housewifes in part time employment prior to the working tax credit and the raising of the income tax threshold and a lack of Hmrc assistance and publicity until the creation of the Money advice service.
The Community Care Grants are paid for out of central state funds for fitting out the flats of disabled people. They have had donations from faith communities since the abolishing of the work houses.
However most churches do different things under churches together auspices.
In Uxbridge Today there are town centre missions by both the Anglican and Methodist churches and almshouses for the over 59s. The free church has a drop in centre on a Wednesday and mental health patients have groups twice a week at the Community Mental Health centre on the other side of the Canal. The Kingsborough church with assistance from other churches runs a foodbank
However practical advice is needed to avoid the problems against Foodbanks
A voluntary charity helps alcoholics and drug users keep clean on top of the addiction anonymous charities. HAGAM is next to the 331 High St Bus Stop and is within Old Bank House which is shared with the Crisis Team and is where Narcotics Annonymous meets.
Cocaine Annonymous meets at St Margarets Church and Alcoholics Annonymous meets at three places, St Andrews Church on a Thursday at 1pm, Monday at 8pm at the Quakers Meeting House and Friday Nights at the Town Hall (Civic Centre)
There is a recovery meeting centre in Belmont Road (the Blenheim centre) which is after care for Bowden House Clinic.
The Benefit Numbers are as follows for most of the London Borough of Hillingdon
Job Centre Plus,
Senator Court,
Belmont Road,
Uxbridge
UB8 1DP
Phone number 0845 604 3719
www.direct.gov.ukIS/JSA/ESA/IB (benefits – BDC) 0845 608 8770 Manager: Anne Hanna
Jobseekers Direct 0845 606 0234
Pension Service 0845 606 0265
Social Fund Enquiry 0845 603 6967
Disability Living Allowance 0845 712 3456
Maternity Allowance 0845 608 8610
Benefits Enquiry Helpline 0800 882 200
Child Benefit 0845 302 1444
Healthy Start (Milk Tokens) 0845 607 6823
Tax Credits 0345 300 3900
The job centre faxes and couriers stamped copies of documents to Belfast for decisions or in the case of the social fund Battersea. (Nine Elms)
There is the Money advice service on
www.moneyadviceservice.org.ukwww.hmrc.gov.uk/sortmytaxNational Insurance Contributions office is at:
Benton Park View
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE98 1NG
0845 915 5996
They are meant to write annually.
One bit of information is that there is a Home Responsibilities Protection scheme that aids grandparents on state pension and are carers or have family responsibilities.
You can get a pension forecast on
www.direct.gov.uk/pensions08453 000 168 textphone.
08453 000 169 phone
The Church of England still has the Vicars relief fund but it works differently from parish to parish and diocese to diocese. Other churches vary in their provision.
Hence for there to be a universal credit in state there must be one in church simultaneously.