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Reposted by Helen Barnard

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 2h

A much needed corrective by @chrisgiles.ft.com to the "welfare is out of control" narrative, drawing on research by my colleague @benbgeiger.bsky.social

www.ft.com/content/ee67...

No need for a moral panic about the welfare system

It’s far from perfect, but the UK’s spending is broadly controlled and employment is high

www.ft.com

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

Nice to see 'pervious' being used for once. Highly overlooked word.

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Reposted by Helen Barnard

The Health Foundation @healthfoundation.bsky.social · 1d

The forthcoming Keep Britain Working Review offers the government the opportunity to rebalance work and health support towards retention and rehabilitation, and a reformed Access to Work scheme should be central to that.

@swjatwell.bsky.social responds to the latest government statistics ⬇️

Sam Atwell @swjatwell.bsky.social · 1d

Latest Access to Work stats are out today

They show continued growth in the number of awards and spend, about 70% increase in both since 2019.

This is not hugely surprising: there's now 4.1m workers with a work-limiting health condition, up from 2.4m a decade ago

www.gov.uk/government/s...

Access to Work statistics: April 2007 to March 2025

www.gov.uk

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

Example number 20079: why making a crazy uprating mechanism into an untouchable shibboleth creates a totally irrational system.

NationCymru @nation.cymru · 1d

Pensioners are on course for a bigger state pension boost next year than previously thought after a key figure used in the triple lock calculation was revised upwards

Pensioners could be set for bigger state pension boost than previously thought

Pensioners are on course for a bigger state pension boost next year than previously thought after a key figure used in the triple lock calculation was revised upwards. Office for National Statistics (...

nation.cymru

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

And viewers should have to pass a test to show they understand basic probabilities before it’ll play for them.

Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

If you’re going to call a programme ‘Why Planes Crash’ you should be legally obliged to add…

‘But they almost never do. Seriously - planes are much safer than cars or bikes.’

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

If you’re going to call a programme ‘Why Planes Crash’ you should be legally obliged to add…

‘But they almost never do. Seriously - planes are much safer than cars or bikes.’

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 1d

I wonder if anyone is measuring the sheer volume of hostility generated towards the Temu brand by their endless, long, deeply irritating adverts plastered across lots of phone game apps?

I started off neutral. Now i’d rather chew off my own leg than buy something from them.

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

Pleased @trusselluk.bsky.social is joining our friends across so many housing and poverty orgs to call on UK government to unfreeze local housing allowance. When it was last frozen we saw how it drove up homelessness, hunger and hardship. UK gov must not repeat such a negative spiral.

Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 2d

We’re proud to have joined with over 40 organisations including campaigners for tenants, homelessness and debt advice charities, landlord organisations and others in calling on the UK government to unfreeze local housing allowance at the upcoming budget.

🧵(1/2)

#UnfreezeLHA

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

I recognised it from many hours of faking interest in my kids either giving me a tour of their house or showing me a video of someone watching someone else playing it. For *ages*.

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

I shouldn’t have counted. 11 ways people ask me to do stuff!

(Thought it was 10 then remembered the kids school now send everything on a special app instead of email. So it’s now 11.)

No wonder I mutter a lot.

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

I shouldn’t have counter: 10 ways people ask me to do stuff. 10!

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

Bless the #StrictlyComeDancing judges & presenters for trying to inject some drama into this. Will they save…

the one who CAN dance…or…

the one who definitely CAN’T…(despite giving it his all)…?

What will they decide? Who could possibly predict the outcome???

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

Nice to see #StrictlyComeDancing paying Cynthia is fawning praise the deficit from her usual appearance fee.

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

Followed by a Pulp Fiction joke only their parents will understand.

(I know, I just explained it to the George fan. Sitting room now filled with tumbleweed.)

Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

The professionals Minecraft group dance tonight aimed squarely at all the Young People only watching #StrictlyComeDancing because George is in it.

(I have one - very grateful they put George in as it's made the teenager want to watch it with me 🎉♥️)

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2d

The professionals Minecraft group dance tonight aimed squarely at all the Young People only watching #StrictlyComeDancing because George is in it.

(I have one - very grateful they put George in as it's made the teenager want to watch it with me 🎉♥️)

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 3d

All good thanks

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 3d

Luna 'having a moment'...

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Reposted by Helen Barnard

Tim Leunig @timleunig.bsky.social · 4d

I agree we should make housing transactions easier, but houses are cheap in the North East despite the same rules. Housing supply (lack thereof) is what makes prices high in the South East. Nothing else. Build more houses, solve the problem. Nothing else will solve it.

Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · 5d

Brilliant and depressing piece on how hard it is to transact property

on.ft.com/4nHDf2m

I know some people think housing policy is simple - just build more! And to do that just have less planning! - but most appreciate the more complex tangles in life.

Moving home is maddening — here’s how the system needs to change

A new government consultation promises to speed up the conveyancing process in England and Wales. But will it work?

on.ft.com

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 9d

I don't agree with every idea in it, as with any essay collection, but there are lots of thoughtful reflections from different perspectives and good ideas in there.

Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 9d

Thoughtful collection of essays from Bright with a range of centre right visions for the future of social security. Good to see discussion of positive role for social security in our society and economy & need to address hardship as well as other goals of reform. t.co/hiNHdNUaeQ

https://www.brightblue.org.uk/portfolio/mending-the-net

t.co

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 9d

You have to respect the sheer amount of padding in the Strictly results show. 15 minutes of actual content, dragged out to 1 hr 45 mins!

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 10d

Yep

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 10d

Apparently both were tall/normal for their time.

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 10d

I just found out Alexander the Great was only 5 ft tall.

That’s several inches shorter than Napoleon. But no one mentions it, while Napoleon’s the one saddled with a whole syndrome named after him.

🤷‍♂️

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Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 11d

First fire of the season.

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