I, too, would like to endorse BD's post. Very well said.
When I first saw the headline for this thread I thought, "here we go, whining about allowances." I hereby apologise for even thinking that. Once again, someone is seriously screwing people over. All the changes in the last 40 years - just the ones I'm aware of in my time - have always ended up with the same result. It's the folk out there doing the job that end up bearing the pain and disadvantage.
It's all so sad that the "powers that be" seem to value their people so little.