AT best it will be similar. SO far the main difference seems to be a willingness to be harsher to old people and those on moderate (not minimum wage, but lowish to average) incomes.
The old WFP was £300 in the pocket of every pensioner, regardless of means and that's a stupid thing for a government to be paying for when it's trying to balance the books.
I do accept the problem —as with many means-tested benefits— is catching and supporting the people who don't qualify, haven't filled in the paperwork, and still vitally need the support the WFP gave them. The DWP has to be given the support to help people who need it, and quickly, especially in Y1.
But I think they're getting way too much stick for this.
They are not getting anything as much stick as the Conservatives would have if they have done it. Every Labour supporting rag would have been going on about it, and my FB feed would have been flooded with people complaining about "uncaring Tories".
I suspect we are going to get a lot of austerity and privatisation in the next few years simply because Labour can get away with things. Some good things may happen (IMO the NHS badly needs reform) but so will a LOT of bad things.
