Responding to the Chancellor’s fiscal statement, which included
confirmation that benefits would be uprated in line with
inflation, Rebecca McDonald, Chief Economist for the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation said:
“It will be a huge relief to families on benefits that they are
not facing what would have amounted to a historic cut. In taking
this stand, the government has acknowledged that people cannot
withstand benefits being eroded any further. However families are
facing the worst winter many will remember and can’t wait for
April – they need the help now to get through a winter of soaring
costs. Even with uprating, rates are at historic lows and
households facing difficult times are increasingly not able to
cover the essentials.
“Through the course of this year we have seen an increase in the
number of families who are falling behind with their bills,
unable to afford hot meals and going without the essentials they
need. The use of one-off payments to help with the cost of living
may mitigate some of the looming disaster, but those who narrowly
don’t qualify will be hit hard.
“This winter and beyond is still going to be a frightening
obstacle course just to afford the essentials. Rises in council
tax, food and rents are all looking insurmountable for large
swathes of the population. The welcome increase to the benefit
cap from April has recognised the pressures facing people on low
incomes but the continuing freeze on LHA will hit private renters
very hard.
“The Government must ensure that they help everyone who needs it
this winter and plug urgent shortfalls during such historically
difficult times.”
