[Anonymouse]

Oh, benefits might go up - slightly - but so do prices, and not so slightly. That "increase" will mean nothing.

It certainly won't do anything to offset water, gas and electricity bills - none of which, I might add, the unemployed get any help with, but we need these services as much as workers do. Public transport hasn't gotten any cheaper - the reverse, in fact. Yesterday, going for an interview, I paid £10.80 just to go from Bolton to Southport. The day before, setting off early in the morning, I paid £6.10...just to go from Bolton to Manchester! If I'd been buying the ticket from an office rather than a machine, Id likely have said, "Jesus, dude, I'm buying a ticket, not bloody shares in First North Western!"

For once, Arthur's right. Something must be done.