'Man could not afford the dentist, so he pulled own teeth out'
A MAN who pulled his own teeth out because he could not afford the dentist and a mother who did not have enough money to take her child to the doctor were examples given by Andrew Le Lievre to show the Assembly how some islanders 'were not managing'.
He gave the stark examples as deputies voted through momentum changes to social welfare benefits.
The Social Welfare Benefits Investigation Committee, which Deputy Le Lievre chaired, proposes to combine the rent rebate scheme and the supplementary benefit scheme.
The plans also included proposals to charge all social housing tenants full rent by 2020, with rent rebates being phased out from 2017.
As part of the committee's extensive work, Deputy Le Lievre said he had visited many residents to explain how the changes could benefit them.
'People are not managing,' he said. 'They are not putting on the heating or some can't afford to take their children to the doctor.
'That's how people have afforded to get by.
'This is a significant first step to a much improved social welfare benefit system that improves outcomes for tenants.'
