Latest news with #Lewis'
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'Harsh' DWP Universal Credit crackdown as claimants wake up to payments missing
The DWP has been accused of 'harsh' treatment as new figures show that one in three recipients of Universal Credit have had their benefits docked in the past two years Universal Credit claimants are reeling from a £60 cut in their payments, as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) faces backlash for its "harsh treatment" and aggressive debt recovery tactics. The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, established by telly favourite Martin Lewis, has criticised the DWP's policy of reclaiming 15% from monthly Universal Credit payouts when overpayments occur. For those aged 25 and above, this clawback can mean a hefty £60 gone each month – a serious hit amidst the cost of living squeeze. Claimants are blindsided with scant notice, receiving only a brief letter and online message that reads: "You have been paid more Universal Credit than you are entitled to. This will now be taken back." Mr Lewis' charity has highlighted the DWP's lack of clear communication regarding repayment negotiations. One distressed claimant shared their ordeal: "Having money deducted from my benefits has made it difficult for me to make ends meet and some days I have been not eating because I can't afford to, which is leaving my mental health in tatters." Helen Undy, head honcho at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, drew parallels between this issue and the notorious Carers' Allowance debacle, slamming the Government's approach to benefit overpayment. She stressed: "You have been paid more Universal Credit than you are entitled to. This will now be taken back. Having money deducted from my benefits has made it difficult for me to make ends meet and some days I have been not eating because I can't afford to, which is leaving my mental health in tatters." "The Government's harsh treatment of people who've been overpaid benefits is reminiscent of the Carers' Allowance scandal," she added. The issue of Universal Credit overpayments has come under scrutiny, with many recipients finding themselves unfairly penalised due to errors not of their making. One expert highlighted the harsh reality for those affected: "When people are paid more in Universal Credit than they are entitled to, it's often through no fault of their own, and sometimes the first they know of it is when the government takes sudden and brutal steps to claw those payments back." The financial strain on individuals is palpable, as they explained: "Many people we work with are already running out of money for food before the end of the month, suddenly taking £60 from what they have left plunges them into further financial hardship and needless distress." Calls for reform are growing louder, with a push for fairer treatment in debt recovery: "The Government has pledged to overhaul how it reclaims Carers' Allowance, now it needs to do the same for how it collects Universal Credit overpayments. Above all, that means proactively giving people a real chance to negotiate a payment plan that they can actually afford, instead of just taking money out of people's income with barely any warning." There's also a demand for consistency in debt collection practices across the board: "We'd also like to see better standards applied across all government debt collection. It cannot be right that the state is lagging far behind the standards that consumer creditors have to meet in treating people fairly and with respect if they fall behind on payments." In response, a DWP spokesperson assured that the department is committed to helping those struggling with repayments by agreeing to affordable plans, reports Birmingham Live. They stated: "We have introduced a new Fair Repayment Rate, which caps debt repayments made in Universal Credit at 15%, allowing 1.2 million households to keep more of their Universal Credit." "When people are paid more in Universal Credit than they are entitled to, it's often through no fault of their own, and sometimes the first they know of it is when the government takes sudden and brutal steps to claw those payments back. Many people we work with are already running out of money for food before the end of the month, suddenly taking £60 from what they have left plunges them into further financial hardship and needless distress," it explained. "The Government has pledged to overhaul how it reclaims Carers' Allowance, now it needs to do the same for how it collects Universal Credit overpayments. Above all, that means proactively giving people a real chance to negotiate a payment plan that they can actually afford, instead of just taking money out of people's income with barely any warning." "We'd also like to see better standards applied across all government debt collection. It cannot be right that the state is lagging far behind the standards that consumer creditors have to meet in treating people fairly and with respect if they fall behind on payments." They concluded: "We have introduced a new Fair Repayment Rate, which caps debt repayments made in Universal Credit at 15%, allowing 1.2 million households to keep more of their Universal Credit. Our new Fraud Bill will help us to identify overpayments at the earliest stage so we can help prevent people falling into debt, and to do so in a way that is fair and proportionate."
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Royce Lewis, Christian Vazquez each drive in 3 runs as Twins beat Dodgers 10-7
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Royce Lewis and Christian Vazquez each drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 on Tuesday night. Lewis, a native of nearby Orange County, Calif., had a runs-scoring fielder's choice in the second inning, a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, and a run-scoring grounder in the seventh that brought in two more runs on pitcher Edgardo Henriquez's throwing error. Andy Pages hit a three-run home run and Shohei Ohtani had a two-run shot for the Dodgers, who managed to end a six-game home losing streak Monday but have now dropped 11 of their past 14 overall since July 4. It is the first time Ohtani has hit a home run in four consecutive games. Dodgers All-Star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up three runs — one earned — and five hits in five innings. Ben Casparius (7-4) was charged with three runs without recording an out in the sixth. The Twins took a 6-3 lead in the sixth inning with their second of three three-run innings as Lewis walked with the bases loaded, Harrison Bader had an RBI ground out and Vazquez delivered a run-scoring single. Hyeseong Kim brought the Dodgers to 6-5 with a two-run single in the sixth. The Twins responded with a three-run seventh when Lewis' comebacker scored Carlos Correa then brought in Ty France and Matt Walner when Henriquez threw past first base and into right field. France, from nearby West Covina, had an RBI double in the ninth. Key moment One night after losing left-handed reliever Tanner Scott to an elbow injury, the Dodgers saw Casparius depart with a right calf cramp immediately after he allowed Lewis' bases-loaded walk in the sixth. Casparius and Will Klein combined for six walks. Key stat The Twins' victory was only their third against the Dodgers since 2017, leaving them 3-12 against Los Angeles in the nine-year stretch. They are 3-13 all-time at Dodger Stadium, including postseason games. ___
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Royce Lewis, Christian Vazquez each drive in 3 runs as Twins beat Dodgers 10-7
Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Royce Lewis and Christian Vazquez each drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 on Tuesday night. Lewis, a native of nearby Orange County, Calif., had a runs-scoring fielder's choice in the second inning, a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, and a run-scoring grounder in the seventh that brought in two more runs on pitcher Edgardo Henriquez's throwing error. Reliever Brock Stewart (2-1) pitched a scoreless fifth inning to earn the win. Andy Pages hit a three-run home run and Shohei Ohtani had a two-run shot for the Dodgers, who managed to end a six-game home losing streak Monday but have now dropped 11 of their past 14 overall since July 4. It is the first time Ohtani has hit a home run in four consecutive games. Dodgers All-Star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up three runs — one earned — and five hits in five innings. Ben Casparius (7-4) was charged with three runs without recording an out in the sixth. The Twins took a 6-3 lead in the sixth inning with their second of three three-run innings as Lewis walked with the bases loaded, Harrison Bader had an RBI ground out and Vazquez delivered a run-scoring single. Hyeseong Kim brought the Dodgers to 6-5 with a two-run single in the sixth. The Twins responded with a three-run seventh when Lewis' comebacker scored Carlos Correa then brought in Ty France and Matt Walner when Henriquez threw past first base and into right field. France, from nearby West Covina, had an RBI double in the ninth. Key moment One night after losing left-handed reliever Tanner Scott to an elbow injury, the Dodgers saw Casparius depart with a right calf cramp immediately after he allowed Lewis' bases-loaded walk in the sixth. Casparius and Will Klein combined for six walks. Key stat The Twins' victory was only their third against the Dodgers since 2017, leaving them 3-12 against Los Angeles in the nine-year stretch. They are 3-13 all-time at Dodger Stadium, including postseason games. Up next Twins RHP Chris Paddack (3-9, 5.14 ERA) goes against Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.10) on Wednesday. ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 2
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Trio of Championship clubs chase out-of-contract Northern Ireland international
The 27-year-old left-back was released by Newcastle United this summer after a frustrating three-season stint at St James' Park that saw him make just 31 league appearances. Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion and his former club Norwich City are all keen to recruit the defender, who has earned 39-caps for Northern Ireland. The Luton native spent four season at Carrow Road, before earning a move to Newcastle in 2020. Lewis made the headlines last season when he joined Brazilian giants Sao Paulo on loan from the Magpies. However, the dream South American move turned into something of a nightmare. Lewis played just six games for the Tricolor Paulist before an injury saw the loan agreement prematurely terminated. Lewis' last game for Northern Ireland was in October 2024, when he featured in a 0-0 draw against Belarus. However, as the defender is one of the few natural NI-qualified left-backs playing beyond the Irish League, he is likely to return to the international fold if he can secure first team football at a Football League club.
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Hundreds turn out for Lake County ‘good trouble' rallies; ‘Trump has broken the Constitution in so many ways'
Josie Perez, a native-born American citizen living in Park City fears for her naturalized American citizen parents as she believes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are taking people off the streets for no legal reason. Standing in Washington Park in Waukegan with approximately 500 others preparing to participate in a March on Washington Street to make 'good trouble' over a host of President Donald Trump's policies, Perez said her presence was personal. 'I'm here for my parents,' she said. 'They came here from another country searching for freedom. People shouldn't ever have to be afraid in America, but ICE is taking people off the streets because they look brown or Hispanic.' Perez was one of more than 500 people in Waukegan along with over 625 in Highland Park and 210 in Buffalo Grove marching or demonstrating against a host of Trump administration policies Thursday, making 'good trouble' on the fifth anniversary of U.S. Rep. John Lewis' death. Katie Salyer, an event organizer and a member of Northeast Lake County Indivisible, charged the Waukegan crowd preparing to march nearly a mile to heed Lewis' words urging people to make 'good trouble' to effect change. He was a civil rights leader before going to Congress. 'We should never, ever be afraid to make good trouble to save our democracy,' Salyer said. 'When I say, 'good trouble,' you say 'necessary trouble,'' she added, as salvos of the responsive chant began and continued along Washington and Genesee streets to Jack Benny Plaza. Leaving Washington Park at Glen Rock Avenue and Washington, the group walked east on Washington to Genesee and north to Jack Benny Plaza carrying signs with a variety of messages criticizing Trump policies on immigration, healthcare and more, as well as Lewis' words. A group of people was waiting for the marchers when they arrived. There was a police escort at the front and rear of the line. Once there, they heard from several speakers. One of the people was Douglas Raul Williams, a former U.S. Air Force sergeant. He said he was there for the Constitution. 'When I was in the military, I took an oath to defend the Constitution,' Williams said. 'Trump has broken the Constitution in so many ways. I'm here for the Constitution.' Former Waukegan Community School District Board of Education President Brandon Ewing led an effort to change the name of Thomas Jefferson Middle School to John Lewis Middle School four years ago. He hopes the students there will learn from Lewis' legacy. 'When Congressman John Lewis told us to get into good trouble, necessary trouble, he wasn't talking about chaos,' Ewing said. 'He was talking about courage. He was talking about doing what's right even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.' Mano a Mano Family Resource Center Executive Director and Waukegan Township Trustee Dulce Ortiz was a featured speaker at the Jack Benny Plaza rally. An immigrant herself at a young age, she respects the courage of people who come from foreign lands seeking a better life. Ortiz criticized a number of recent measures in the 'big beautiful bill' recently passed by Congress containing spending cuts on human services like healthcare, education, food benefits and more, along with tax cuts. She said ICE agents are taking possible immigrants off the streets and have done much more. 'This is the most corrupt, criminal and fascist administration I've seen in my lifetime,' Ortiz said. 'Violating the rights of undocumented immigrants, legal permanent residents, DACA recipients and U.S. citizens by kidnapping them and tearing their families apart. They said they were only going to deport criminals. They lied.' Nancy Shepherdson, the vice chair of the Lake County Democrats and one of the organizers of the march and rally, urged people to help candidates for office get their petitions signed, and then work to get them elected. Ortiz issued a call to action. 'We protect us,' she said. 'Whether that means a pathway to citizenship, access to healthcare, access to housing, access to education or any number of issues, we're fighting for big, transformational change that won't be complete unless we organize and fight this corrupt administration.' Joan Zahnle of Highland Park helped organize the rally there. There was also a food drive. She said people from Indivisible Evanston came to join them, helping increase the size of the crowd in front of City Hall. State Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, spoke at the Highland Park event. She said just as Lewis urged people to get into 'good trouble' to expand voting rights leading to significant change, it is time to heed his words once more. 'Throughout Illinois and the nation, we are getting into good trouble to save our democracy, to save our immigrant brothers and sisters, to preserve our way of life, and to protect our civil rights,' Johnson said in her speech. 'He was a national treasure,' Johnson said of Lewis. 'I am hopeful that the chaos and confusion, the inhumane and cruel treatment, and the un-American actions by the Trump administration will end soon.' Lake County Democratic Chair Lauren Beth Gash, who was at the rally in Highland Park, said before the event Lewis' version of good trouble, 'truly does live on when we stand up for our values with meaningful nonviolent action.' In Buffalo Grove, organizer Carolyn Pinta said 210 people lined the roadside with signs and chants as numerous people honked horns in support. People from Mundelein and other surrounding suburbs came to participate. 'We were happy to be in camaraderie with others who feel the same way we do. We were all glad to be here,' Pinta said. 'There was a lot of talk about what's going on with (Jeffrey) Epstein and that bill I won't name.' Lake County Republican Chair Keith Brin said in a text Friday that Trump's legislation and actions were part of the fulfillment of campaign promises. Brin does not believe the protests will lead to change. 'The protests were silly and ineffective, and changed nothing on the course of policy that America clearly voted for in the last presidential election,' Brin wrote. 'I hope at least the protestors enjoyed some time outside during the protests because that's all they amounted to.'
