Iain Duncan Smith: poverty is not solved by just more money - Daily Telegraph Iain Duncan Smith: poverty is not solved by just more money - Daily Telegraph

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Iain Duncan Smith: poverty is not solved by just more money - Daily Telegraph

Iain Duncan Smith: poverty is not solved by just more money - Daily Telegraph

Figures to be published today are expected to show that the Government failed to meet its statutory target to halve the problem by 2010 – despite the huge amount of taxpayers’ money spent on tackling it.

Mr Duncan Smith will unveil a new analysis which will show that hundreds of thousands of children will be lifted out of poverty if at least one of their parents works 35 hours a week earning the minimum wage.

The introduction of the universal credit, under the Government’s welfare reforms, will mean that people returning to work from benefits will continue to receive some state support.

Any child living in a household which earns less than 60 per cent of the typical income is defined as living in poverty. This is likely to be changed so that children living in workless households or those with drug-dependent parents are highlighted.

Mr Duncan Smith will also set out plans to change the definition of child poverty so that a more sophisticated analysis is used.

Speaking ahead of his speech at the Abbey Community Centre in London, Mr Duncan Smith told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What I'm talking about is getting away from a system that got so trapped in the idea of meeting a relative income target so narrowly that more and more money was spent on welfare but keeping people out of the work process.

"What we need to do is make sure we tackle poverty but tackle it in the process of trying to move them on (to work).

"If you just measure relative income levels you know nothing about what's happening to the family."

In his speech, he will accuse Labour of “pouring vast amounts of money” into increased benefit payments to tackle poverty. He is expected to say that the strategy has failed and parents need to be helped back to work rather than simply subsidised by the state.

He will say: “Getting a family into work, supporting strong relationships, getting parents off drugs and out of debt — all this can do more for a child’s wellbeing than any amount of money in out-of-work benefits.

“With the right support, a child growing up in a dysfunctional household, who was destined for a lifetime on benefits could be put on an entirely different track — one which sees them move into fulfilling and sustainable work. In doing so, they will pull themselves out of poverty.”

He will add: “Our latest analysis suggests that universal credit will ensure the vast majority of children will be lifted out of poverty if at least one parent works 35 hours a week at the minimum wage — or 24 hours if they are a lone parent.

“For those who are able to work, work has to be seen as the best route out of poverty. For work is not just about more money — it is transformative. It’s about taking responsibility for yourself and your family.”

Mr Duncan Smith will indicate that Labour wasted large amounts of public funds as it failed to halve child poverty. “The last Government spoke about the need to tackle poverty, and poured vast amounts of money into the pursuit of this ambition — £150 billion was spent on tax credits alone between 2004 and 2010.

“Overall, the welfare bill increased by some 40 per cent in real terms, even in a decade of rising growth and rising employment,” he will say.

Ministers are drawing up plans to introduce a series of measures to gauge whether families are living in poverty, such as whether parents have drug or alcohol problems or whether they are working.

In today’s speech, the Work and Pensions Secretary is expected to defend the need to change the definition of child poverty. “If a family has less than 60 per cent of the median income it is said to be poor, if it has 60 per cent or more it is not,” he will say.

“By this narrow measure, if you have a family who sits one pound below the poverty line you can do a magical thing. Give them one pound more, say through increased benefit payments, and you can apparently change everything — you are said to have pulled them out of poverty. But increased income from welfare transfers is temporary if nothing changes.”

Mr Duncan Smith’s call for disadvantaged families to return to work may come at an inopportune time with unemployment rising as the double-dip recession has led to a lack of jobs.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, caused controversy recently by telling Britons they had to work harder to help the UK escape from recession.



Auctus Rebus Financial Group Announces Game-Changing Legal Retainer Financing - msnbc.com

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - For attorneys across the United States, winning the most demanding of criminal or civil cases often pulls their clients out of legal trouble and into trouble with their finances. However, for the first time in the industry, Auctus Rebus Financial Group today announces their innovative legal retainer financing.

The program makes even the most expensive of lawyers an affordable reality, by allowing the attorney to offer affordable 3rd party financing of their fees to their clients.

Legal retainers up to $12,000 can be financed for up to a sixty month period. Using this model as a guide, a qualified client could easily finance an $8,000 retainer with no money down and repayments under $200 a month.

"Our game-changing legal retainer financing will allow attorneys to focus 100% on servicing their client's needs, rather than turning the relationship sour by chasing payments. It ensures that attorneys get paid quickly, and at a level that allows them to provide the best possible legal services," says Alex Brown, President of Auctus Rebus Financial Group.

Virtually all civil legal cases are eligible for the funding, as well as many first-time criminal misdemeanor cases. People with cases that do not qualify for immediate financing are able to provide a guarantor to ensure that they can afford only the best legal assistance when they need it the most.

Following the recent financial climate, Brown and his team have ensured that their funding remains open to many people, even with past financial problems.

"Credit score requirements are low because approvals are weighted highly on income and job stability. In fact people with FICO scores as low as 600 are often approved, and at interest rates that are lower than the average store credit card. In addition, all clients receive a 6 months same as cash promotion," he adds.

The company hopes that, by removing the heavy up-front financial burden associated with many of the country's top lawyers, people will be able to get the best level of legal assistance for their circumstances – regardless of cost.

The Financial Group is currently working with an expansive network of approved attorneys, with every legal professional urged to contact them for speedy approval.

"We don't want people to risk their case by using the wrong attorney. If you cannot afford your legal fees, ask your attorney to contact us today," Brown concludes.

For more information, please visit the official Auctus Rebus Financial Group website: http://www.auctusrebus.com

About Auctus Rebus Financial Group

Auctus Rebus Financial Group headquartered in San Antonio Texas provides financing, alternative financing and no credit needed payment plans for legal practices, medical practices and many other businesses.

Auctus Rebus Financial Group helps businesses and professional practices nationwide grow by making products and services more affordable. Auctus Rebus Financial Group is a highly rated member of the Better Business Bureau.

Media Contact

Alex Brown - President

info(at)auctusrebus(dot)com

888-890-8673

This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9595653.htm

CONTACT: Auctus Rebus Financial Group          Alex Brown          info@auctusrebus.com          888-890-8673

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