Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profileg
Patrick Butler

@patrickjbutler

Social policy editor, The Guardian. Tabloid journalist.

ID:98682244

linkhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/patrickbutler calendar_today22-12-2009 17:37:24

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

My The Guardian story: Cross-party MPs committee asks spending watchdog to investigate growing concerns over carer's allowance scandal theguardian.com/society/articl…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

My The Guardian analysis: The carer's allowance scandal has caused shock, public outrage and political demands for reform: it is not going away. So what happens now? theguardian.com/society/articl…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

My The Guardian story: Tens of thousands of carers at risk of debt and prosecution because of routine DWP failure to promptly check electronic alerts on benefits rules infringements, new figures show. theguardian.com/society/articl…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Good interview by Simon Hattenstone with Tory former children's minister Edward Timpson, who is retiring as an MP. In my experience, he was hugely well respected in children's social care, a vanishingly rare thing among austerity ministers. theguardian.com/uk-news/articl…

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Gareth Davies(@Gareth_Davies09) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Brief story on an election result that's been a long time coming.

Conservatives swept away in Thurrock after overseeing financial disaster

thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2024-0…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

'Social policy by Groupon: use code TORYWIPEOUT24 for 25% off an oxygen cylinder': Frances Ryan brilliantly captures the absurdity at the heart of Rishi Sunk's disability benefit cuts proposals theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

“It is so bad that if I was to ask our director of finance: ‘How much money have we got in the bank today?’ nobody would be able to tell me': Extraordinary claims about the extent of the financial chaos at bankrupt Birmingham council theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/m… via Jessica Murray

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Smart, authoritative and insightful critique of Rishi Sunak's disability benefit cuts proposals - reducing them to rubble in fact - by Stef Benstead

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

'If there is anything more disgusting than the sight of a half-billionaire rolling up his sleeves for a 'benefits crackdown' in the middle of a cost of living crisis... I can’t think of it': @[email protected] on Sunak's proposed disability reforms theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

My The Guardian story (with (@kiranstacey): Mentally ill people being used as a 'political football' warn campaigners as government unveils proposals to cut disability benefits theguardian.com/society/2024/a…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The latest round of disability benefit reforms - aka 'full on assault on disabled people' - to be outlined in a green paper by ministers afternoon (this follows Rishi Sunak's speech earlier this month) theguardian.com/politics/2024/… via Kevin Rawlinson

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Helen Barnard(@Helen_Barnard) 's Twitter Profile Photo

This system is such a mess. Carers allowance is so low people face hunger & debt. It's so badly designed it misses many who really need it AND disincentivises work. While the government is desperate to get more people working more. It's not compassionate, just or effective.

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Johnny Timpson(@johnnytimpson1) 's Twitter Profile Photo

I welcome and 💯 agree with ⁦Sir Stephen Timms⁩ comments and ask of ⁦⁦Department for Work and Pensions⁩ . In addition to urgently fixing the overpayment issue, let’s also simplify and improve the benefit and support plus with £1.3bn unclaimed, transform access to it. theguardian.com/society/2024/a…

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david robinson(@Davrob5) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Absolutely Stephen Sir Stephen Timms . And “immediately” is not a moment too soon
Ministers told to 'immediately' fix carer’s allowance issues theguardian.com/society/2024/a…

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Josh Halliday(@JoshHalliday) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Very good BBC Radio 4 PM segment on Carer’s Allowance from 22 minutes in today. Shocking case of a carer forced to repay £20,000 for accidental breach of earning la limit. She sent DWP her payslips for years and they took no action - then threatened her with debt recovery officers.

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Shocked by the injustices revealed by the The Guardian's stories on carer's allowance? Carers UK has launched an online parliamentary petition calling for a review, and urgent action from DWP to cap and prevent large overpayment debts for unpaid carers.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/6604…

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Patrick Butler(@patrickjbutler) 's Twitter Profile Photo

“Things are going quite badly wrong:' influential chair of commons welfare committee tells ministers to fix the failing carer's allowance benefit as concerns grow at treatment of unpaid carers theguardian.com/society/2024/a… by Josh Halliday and me

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Carers UK(@CarersUK) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Today we've written to the Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office to ask National Audit Office to undertake a new review into Carer's Allowance overpayments. Today marks the 5th anniversary of their original report. Carers deserve better and urgent action is now needed.

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