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Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute

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kawakid
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PostPosted: 20:54 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute Reply with quote

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41659504

https://metro.co.uk/2017/10/11/calls-to-helpline-for-new-universal-credit-benefit-cost-55p-a-minute-6993185/

Quote:
Jeremy Corbyn said at PMQs, ‘Not only are people being driven into poverty but, absurdly, the Universal Credit helpline costs claimants 55p a minute for the privilege of trying to get someone to help them claim what they believe they’re entitled to.



Anyone else a bit confused by this?

I heard the headline and thought the government were using an 0845 number or a premium rate number.

But it's an 0345, which is a local call rate from wherever you are in the country.

So where does the 55p come from.

I can't every remember phoning a government help line and it being free, I can remember making local/national calls.

I can imagine a lot of people on benefits would only have a mobile phone.

But I have 2 kids on pay as you go with 3 and even on that, the maximum is 3p per minute. (3 2 1).

So perhaps those paying 55p per minute could help themselves out by learning to look around for cheaper deals and apply the same logic with the rest of the benefits they receive.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 21:10 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Re: Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute Reply with quote

kawakid wrote:
So perhaps those paying 55p per minute could help themselves out by learning to look around for cheaper deals and apply the same logic with the rest of the benefits they receive.

But that would require some effort and proactivity. Thinking


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Itchy
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PostPosted: 21:26 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Re: Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute Reply with quote

kawakid wrote:


So perhaps those paying 55p per minute could help themselves out by learning to look around for cheaper deals and apply the same logic with the rest of the benefits they receive.



It's because the cost of living is higher if you're poor. Usually because you can't afford the upfront costs which cause larger long term savings.

Quote:
“The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.

Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.

But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.

This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.”



This isn't just at the bottom rung of society though. How many of you buy houses with cash outright? Well if you can't afford that then you can always borrow money and thus it costs you more in the long term.
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Jewlio Rides Again LLB
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PostPosted: 21:28 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

mpd72 wrote:
It makes a better anti Tory story if you stretch the truth.
“Up to 55ppm”, if your hardly used mobile provider uses satellite or gives you a shit deal on certain national or local rate numbers.


Apology?
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Itchy
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PostPosted: 21:29 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jewlio Rides Again wrote:
Apology?




Rainpal will be in the shops before this happens Very Happy
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Jewlio Rides Again LLB
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PostPosted: 21:30 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Little precious has put me on enemy. Trolol.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 21:40 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.gov.uk/call-charges

"The cost of calling a phone number depends on the digits it starts with, your phone provider and whether you use a landline or mobile.

You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package. Check with your phone provider.

03
0345

Cost from landlines per minute (approximate) up to 9p
Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 3p to 55p"

On my contract with ID Mobile they charge 40p per minute once you've used all of your free minutes. Alternatively, you can buy 200 extra minutes for £3, 500 for £6 or 1000 for £8.
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kawakid
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PostPosted: 22:02 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Re: Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute Reply with quote

Quote:

It's because the cost of living is higher if you're poor. Usually because you can't afford the upfront costs which cause larger long term savings.


I understand your reasoning Itchy.

But a 3 network pay as you go sim can be picked up at a newsagents for 99p, this would allow them to call at 3p per minute. This is less than 2 mins at 55p, it makes no sense to me.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 22:23 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It adds up when you're on hold for an hour.
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arry
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PostPosted: 22:26 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

M.C wrote:
It adds up when you're on hold for an hour.


60 free minutes out of your 5000 free ones. Guess you'd just have to OMG to your mates a bit less for the rest of the month.
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Jewlio Rides Again LLB
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PostPosted: 22:31 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Re: Universal Credit Call Chargers - 55p a minute Reply with quote

kawakid wrote:
Quote:

It's because the cost of living is higher if you're poor. Usually because you can't afford the upfront costs which cause larger long term savings.


I understand your reasoning Itchy.

But a 3 network pay as you go sim can be picked up at a newsagents for 99p, this would allow them to call at 3p per minute. This is less than 2 mins at 55p, it makes no sense to me.


Sure Alan Carr made a funneh about 3 Network and their coverage. Laughing
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Lord Percy
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PostPosted: 02:41 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regardless of hysteria and spun-out statistics, is it still not a bit fucked that this helpline costs money while the one to report benefit fraud is free?

Blatantly a tactical, punishing move by the government. The logic being that making the call to get help should only be done if you're desperate so you're willing to take the hit. But it's absurd, being made to fork out more when you're already desperate.

Chancers who want to play the system for extra money will gladly gamble the 'up to 55p a minute' anyway, so all this does is tell those who really need it that the state doesn't care about them unless they pay a premium for help when it's needed. Madness. But hey it's just poor people and they're all feckless idiots. Okay, how about we make the 999 number premium rate too? Anyone who ends up needing emergency services is an idiot who can't look after themselves either so fuck them they should pay as well Thumbs Up
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arry
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PostPosted: 06:26 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:
Regardless of hysteria and spun-out statistics, is it still not a bit fucked that this helpline costs money while the one to report benefit fraud is free?

Blatantly a tactical, punishing move by the government.


That's why I called the tax helpline from my work phone. Seems getting off your ass and finding a job has many up sides Laughing
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arry
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PostPosted: 06:29 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:
Okay, how about we make the 999 number premium rate too?


Too implies as well as. As well as what?
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grr666
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PostPosted: 07:24 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:
so all this does is tell those who really need it that the state doesn't care about them unless they pay a premium for help when it's needed.

Bit like trying to get a Doctors appointment if you happen to be employed. Almost impossible because the books
are always choked up with professional work dodgers, snotty nosed children or the elderly. I'm not certain what they
are propping up with their contributions but they do always seem to get priority. Of course, You can always go private
and be seen immediately, if the discomfort is bad enough then you'll pay.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 09:01 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:
the state doesn't care about them

Why should it?

What are they doing for "the state", beyond consuming the resources that it has stolen from the productive?
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Lord Percy
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PostPosted: 10:36 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rogerborg wrote:
What are they doing for "the state", beyond consuming the resources that it has stolen from the productive


Well the main thing they're doing is 'being alive'? It's quite unwise to ignore those with nothing to lose. Or do you think violent crime is mostly caused by people with comfortable lives?

grr666 wrote:
Of course, You can always go private
and be seen immediately, if the discomfort is bad enough then you'll pay.


Great thinking, and if anyone brings up the topic of those who can't afford to put bread on the table, I suggest we let them eat cake.
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Lord Percy
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PostPosted: 10:41 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

arry wrote:
Lord Percy wrote:
Okay, how about we make the 999 number premium rate too?


Too implies as well as. As well as what?


As well as the 3p/50p a minute or whatever it is number for people who are struggling financially for whatever reason.

Not sure what you were trying to imply there. You used your work phone to call a non-free helpline so you clearly don't think it's right to pay for it either. Or do you prefer offloading your costs onto whatever other entity is at hand. You freeloading social parasite, you.
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CaNsA
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PostPosted: 10:42 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's been many years since I've been in a dole office but I'm pretty sure there are phones in there which are free to use when calling a benefit helpline.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 10:49 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:
It's quite unwise to ignore those with nothing to lose. Or do you think violent crime is mostly caused by people with comfortable lives?

I don't find "or else" particularly engages my compassion or inclines me to voluntarily surrender the fruits of my labour (look this word up).

However, it is a compelling pragmatic argument in favour of culling the feckless if, as you say, it's them or me.

If it came down to that, which side of the barricades would you be on?
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arry
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PostPosted: 10:52 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lord Percy wrote:

As well as the 3p/50p a minute or whatever it is number for people who are struggling financially for whatever reason.


I was implying that the number isn't premium rate - it's a UK wide number. That's not the first time I've heard that expression in this context, but it isn't accurate:
https://www.gov.uk/call-charges

I am just wondering where the expression came from to get into everyone's heads in such a way.

Quote:
You used your work phone to call a non-free helpline so you clearly don't think it's right to pay for it either. Or do you prefer offloading your costs onto whatever other entity is at hand. You freeloading social parasite, you.


It was free from my work phone, and would have been free from my personal mobile too. Well, included within my minutes - which I never exceed, because I'm too busy working to yack a load of shite to people endlessly.
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Omega
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PostPosted: 11:59 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sounds like the phone providers have more to answer than any political party. Why should call charges vary so much? Rip off.
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Jewlio Rides Again LLB
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PostPosted: 12:45 - 19 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote

mpd72 wrote:


One takes from the state, the other adds to the coffers?


I'd be interested for you to provide just how much money has been added to the coffers?

Quote:
03 numbers are widely used for local call rate. Just because in certain situations, a handful of operators decide to rip people off, doesn't mean the government are on the take.


Government department chooses the phone number type, so yes?

Quote:
The receiving company has to pay 0800 connect and call charges. Why should my tax money pay for incoming calls from people, many of whom have no intention of getting work and adding to the tax pool?


Get off your fucking high horse, there's not just you who pays tax, and I've no doubt whatsoever that you won't be able to back up your 'many have no intention of getting work' bullshit.

Quote:
BTW, 0800 numbers were chargeable from most mobiles until 2015.


That pesky government department forcing others to give free phone numbers, and not subscribing to it themselves eh?

BTW, someone will have to quote this for softlad to see, seeing as he has a very sandy mangina at the moment.
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