Graham Allen MP

Dear member, many of the people in and around our area don’t know what is on the way, some think cuts only happen to other people and that the ConDems are only targeting those on the fiddle, they need to know the truth. Also I need your help to let me know of any examples you come across in a few weeks time of ordinary people who get hit, we must get this message across against the barrage of Con Dem propaganda, good wishes-graham





A government tsunami to hit nottm’s low income working families in 6 weeks time.

Graham Allen MP said today “Coming over the horizon is a government made financial disaster for thousands of families in Nottingham North. Many are blissfully unaware of the impending impact. Hard working families on low incomes being helped by tax credits are very typical of the sort of family found across my constituency in places like Bulwell and Bestwood. I estimate at least 4,000 of Nottingham’s 11,900 working families with children are in Nottingham North and will find themselves worse off in April under government proposals to reform the benefits system. These hard working families are currently kept in work by receiving the Working Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. Worst hit will be 405 working households in Nottingham North who could lose £80 a week.”

Graham said, “These people are not scroungers that the government like to use as a smoke screen, every single one of them are working hard to keep their families afloat.They are ordinary people in my patch trying to hold down a low paid job who will be squeezed out of work to the benefit of no one. This is a deeply unfair change from a government that is increasingly out of touch with parents feeling the squeeze and struggling to juggle work and family life.”

“At a time when many people’s hours are being reduced, these working parents are being told to work longer hours in order to qualify for the Working Tax Credit. Couples with children earning less than around £17,700 will have to increase the amount of hours they work from a minimum of 16 to 24 hours per week, or they will lose all of their Working Tax Credit of £3,870 per year. This means that over 400 households in Nottingham North face losing this benefit if they cannot increase their work hours.”

Graham said, “These changes are impacting on working families disproportionately. In the current economic climate many people will struggle to increase their hours of work. At a time when families need the help put in place by the last Labour government top make work pay, they are struggling and that support is being taken away from them. The ConDem government just does not understand the terrible impact its decisions have on hard working families places like Nottingham North, they must get out more, listen to those who know what is happening and reconsider these hurtful and perverse proposals.”

Notes to editor

1. A recent survey by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development found that one in five organisations has cut back on the number of hours that people work as a result of the economic downturn.

2. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that the median income for households with children is set to fall by 4.2% between the 2010-11 period and 2015-16 in real terms, equivalent to a loss of £1250 annually for a couple with two children.

3. The average reduction of income in households is 0.9%, the equivalent of £215 annually.

4. There are currently 11,900 in-work families with children receiving the Working Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. 7,300 in-work families with children are receiving only the Child Tax Credit (of which 2,900 received more than the family element).

5. Parents with one child will have to work 24 hours a week between them, rather than 16, to continue to qualify for the benefit.

The Welfare Bill

1st March 2012

Dear Member, The debates around the Welfare Bill have been very complicated ,so here is a simplified guide on what were the key votes in Parliament this week ,how I voted, and how the ConDems voted.


Amendment 1 - to cut disability living allowance payments by up to £1,400 a year for around 100,000 children from the Bill.
I voted against the motion but the ConDem Government passed this with 324 votes to 255.

Amendment 12 – to retain housing benefit for those in social housing who have “un-needed” spare rooms.
I voted in favour of this Amendment but the motion to reject it was passed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs.

Amendment 36a – to protect disabled young people’s access to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
I voted to protect young disabled people’s eligibility to this benefit but Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs voted to not include the Amendment in the Bill.

Amendment 38 - to increase the time limit for claiming contributory ESA from 1 year, as proposed by the Government, to 2 years. I voted in favour of this Amendment but the Government rejected it.

Amendment 38a – to exempt cancer patients from the contributory ESA limits.
I voted for this Amendment but it passed regardless, thanks to Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs.

Amendment 59 - to exclude child benefit from the £26,000 household benefit cap.
I voted in favour of this Amendment, but unfortunately it was passed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs.

Amendment 62c – to remove the proposal to make single parents pay a fee to use the Child Support Agency.
I voted for this but Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs rejected it.

Sadly Labour lost on all 7 issues, but we keep on fighting our corner and working for the day we can put right these wrongs, good wishes -Graham Allen

Early Intervention

July 2011

Click on the link to watch the video on early intervention

Early intervention

Labour MP Graham Allen led a debate on the effect of public spending cuts on early years intervention on 14 July 2011.
A report by the Labour MP said early intervention would improve the lives of vulnerable children and help break the cycle of "dysfunction and under-achievement".
It recommended regular assessments of all pre-school children focusing on their social and emotional development and called for a national parenting programme in the UK.
The Nottingham North MP was asked by the government to look at how children from disadvantaged backgrounds could be given the best start in life.