Wes Streeting responds to Universal Credit statistics published today

Wes Streeting MP, Labour's Shadow Child Poverty Secretary, commenting on the Universal Credit statistics published today, said:

“The Conservatives’ plan to cut Universal Credit will hit the lowest paid hardest and hurt our economic recovery. We know that six million families are set to lose £1,000 a year, affecting 3.5 million children.

“There is near universal opposition to this cut, which will push more children into poverty. Time is running out for the Prime Minister to see sense, back struggling families and cancel his cut to Universal Credit.

“Labour would maintain the uplift until we can replace Universal Credit with a fairer social security system.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• There are 3,667,008 children living in households claiming Universal Credit. ‘Households on Universal Credit, May 2021’ - DWP