Coalition that blames jobless for their plight

I WAS pleased to see the letter from G Ellison (Yorkshire Post, October 1) about the level of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), and what people have to use it for.

All too often the media concentrates on more unusual benefit claimants with perhaps six children (preferably from abroad and with six different fathers) and a house that 
would sell on the market for over £1m.

As a result many think that a single person on benefit gets 
far more than £71.50, and mistakenly believe that 
living on welfare is a lifestyle choice rather than something which arises because of poor economic conditions and thus the lack of employment opportunities.

Sadly, the Government 
seem to think it is the fault 
of the individual jobless that 
they can’t find work, and are cutting the amount paid to councils for council tax benefit (CTB).

The upshot of this will be a reduction in CTB for those of working age, with a typical unemployed person facing a bill around five per cent of their JSA.

No wonder then that the coalition is unpopular – and I don’t just mean its Conservative members, as I’ve yet to hear any Liberal Democrats speak out on this issue.