Well 2014 is off to a good start, eh?

Interesting comment here

www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/03/...-low-income-families
Kick the weakest, most suffering and vulnerable!

Nice informative comment here:

2167% apr only!!!

I've had crisis loans before. They're a pain in the arse to try to get..... billions of fucking questions.
BUT.... they delivered the goods a few times when otherwise I wouldn't have been able to go on the piss! /sarcasm, but that's what most people waiting on it seem to be after, or a fix. That's obviously not isolated to Cheetham Hill either.... it's a problem of separating those in need from people who just want to squander it on booze/drugs.... but the outcome of withdrawing it will be inevitable causing more social problems such as muggings/burglary. Unless you're rich & have loads of security it then won't be a problem.

Feckin nightmare when they take it out of your giro.... even though they tell you they give you the minimum to survive on, they take some of it away!

My ESA benefit payment is up for renewel this year and im dreading going to the ATOS interview to cry schizophrenia
i'm truely fucked if they dont renew it

The community fund and crisis loans were made 'unavailable' about 18 months ago

This is not new although if you have no reason to enquire about these services you would not know they have been removed

Bonfire_Hound ...I have the guidelines for applying for ESA from a site BenefitsandWork . If these could help you please drop me a pm and I'll send them onto you

'Unavailable' inasmuch as they've given all the responsibility over to your local authority whose attitude is pretty much "go fuck yourself".

Tricksy bastards.

yes Abs

The old forms/applications of being able to apply have been removed and people are told they no longer can apply

This is not true.

You can still apply, just a few more hoops to jump through, which most people give up at the first hurdle being told the crisis loans dont exist , so most don't pursue it

The government are now not giving money but Asda gift cards that can not be used for tobacco or alcohol on them in place of crisis loans

And if you don't have an Asda near you you're fucked

Thanks for that Dawney...I had been wondering how long it would take for the Amerikkan system to come over here....looks like it has, but in the usual Brit 'stealth' mode...