[refit was proportion of women with unemployment benefit…]
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-05-06Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 6 →
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refit was proportion of women with unemployment benefit was an easy source of money for a year. More married women have become entitled to UB as the married women's option to pay reduced National Insurance has been withdrawn...
"Between November 1973 and May 1980 the number of married women registering as unemployed (horror of horrors!) increased nearly eightfold. In addition 22% of married women in our survey were taking no steps to find work as opposed to 15% of all respondents...
'Claimants wre also asked whether a married woman who decided to stay at home with her children rather than work would be likely to get UB. One in four said yes as did one in five women with children. Respondents were also asked whether an unmarried mother unable to take a job as her child was ill would be likely to get UB.
"Nearly two out of five yes, as did a similar proportion children.
'In fact both are examples of people who would be disqualified as not available for work."
Unaware
In fact many women believe 'that they are not entitled as they are unaware that they have been paying the full stamp while previously in work. It is also typical of the bias against women within the benefit system that they should be disqualified from UB because they are unable to find childcare facilities, which are abysmally lacking.
The Rayner report is in effect giving the green light to predominantly male Unemployment Review Officers to harass women, presumably in the hope that the mere appearance of an officer on the doorstep will cause sufficient fright. and anxiety to intimidate women from continuing to claim.
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Socialist Organiser no.83 May 6, 1982 Page 7