Watch: DWP tries to divert attention from crippling £12bn cuts by releasing pensions rap
Video is re-release of Department for Work and Pensions campaign to promote Government's reforms to the workplace pension
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.In what can only be described as a bizarre attempt to divert people's attention from the £12bn of welfare cuts set to be announced in Wednesday's Budget, the Department for Work and Pensions has released a rap promoting the government's workplace pension reforms.
The short video, posted on social media website Vine, is a re-release of a longer YouTube video launched two years ago that promoted its landmark initiative to automatically place employees into workplace pension schemes two years ago.
It was set up with a target of signing up some 4.3 million more people saving for their retirement.
A YouTube video of DWP workers was released at the time. The rap went like this:
Can I have your attention, about the workplace pension
Did I forget to mention, millions of people are already benefiting
From being involved in the workplace pension
So can I have your attention
The re-released video comes two days before George Osborne will unveil more details of where he will wield the axe as he looks to swipe £12bn from the welfare budget.
Only around £1.5bn of the cuts have so far been announced, with measures including the freezing of working age benefits for two years saving £1bn; reducing the benefit cap to £23,000 and removing housing benefit from young people.
A bulk of the further cuts are expected to fall on tax credits, which could hit more than seven million children according to the government's own child poverty advisers.
A new analysis by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission found that any cut in tax credits would reduce the incomes of 45 per cent of working families.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments