A Little Surprise

Since the Department of Workfare and Privation has always denied that food banks are a substitute for the benefits system, it should come as no surprise that the Department of Workfare and Privation is using food banks as a substitute for benefits payments. Since the Department of Workfare and Privation has always claimed that job centres do not refer people to food banks and do not issue vouchers, it should come as no surprise that the Department of Workfare and Privation has drawn up guidelines for signposting people instead of referring them and for issuing slips instead of vouchers. Since the coalition denies any connection between food bank use and the filleting of social security, it should come as no surprise that the said guidelines list benefit reforms, payment delays, and refused or inadequate advances as reasons for the referrals that aren't referrals and the issue of vouchers that aren't vouchers. What is a little surprising is that the Department of Workfare and Privation should be collecting information on how many people are being not-referred, since the Department of Workfare and Privation is headed by that well-known numeracy sceptic, the brilliant Iain Duncan Smith.