John Mann MP responds to today’s Budget announcements on Universal Credit

After the Chancellor’s Budget Statement, John Mann MP, the Chair of the Treasury Sub-Committee commented on the Chancellor’s proposals on Universal Credit.

Mr Mann expressed disappointment with the government’s package of measures to ease the implementation of universal credit. Mr Mann commented: “My constituents in Bassetlaw face the rollout of Universal Credit this Christmas. The Chancellor has offered a small amount of relief by speeding up and simplifying the process to apply for an advance and extending the repayment period. This is quite simply not enough.”

He continued: “That these simple measures have taken so long demonstrates how slow the government has been to listen. He has offered nothing in the way of a pause, a review or an end to the six-week gap between payments. This will cause real hardship for families facing the rollout this Christmas”

Concluding, Mr Mann said “today was a real opportunity for the Chancellor to end the harm caused by Universal Credit. I am disappointed, if not surprised, that he missed that opportunity”.