It's shocking and surprising I know, but a story on the BBC news website claims that the government is talking sh*te.
In this article, the Department for Work and Pensions is criticised for spending £31m on publishing 250 different leaflets last year, most of them incomprehensible to their target audiences.
Apparently, "The NAO found people often needed a reading ability above the national average to understand the leaflets, with words such as "disability, incapacity and entitlement" causing difficulties." while they also add that "about 16% of UK adults - or five million people - have literacy skills equivalent to those expected of an 11-year-old, according to official figures".
So is it intentional? Some have argued that these leaflets are deliberately designed to confuse, so government money can go unclaimed and be spent on more exciting projects like John Prescott's council tax bill or Cherie Blair's lifestyle coach.
Useful for:
ENA1 - Language & Representation
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