Labour will force a vote in the House of Commons on Monday
demanding that the Government scraps its planned cut to Universal
Credit and Working Tax Credits that will see families lose over
£1000 a year.
This follows the Prime Minister’s appearance at the Liaison
Committee yesterday where he confirmed that he still intends to
cut Universal Credit by £20 a week, or £1040 a year, for 6
million families in April. The cut is equivalent to the cost of
an average family’s annual electricity, gas and internet bills
combined.
Labour has repeatedly called for the Prime Minister to change
course and provide certainty to millions of struggling families
who face a triple blow of council tax hikes, frozen pay and a cut
to Universal Credit.
Child Poverty Action Group have stated that the £20 uplift is
essential to ensure “low-income families with children receive
the support they need”. Tthe Joseph Rowntree Foundation has
warned that the cut could see another 200,000 children pushed
into poverty.
, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, said:
“Under the Conservatives, families come last. The government’s
mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic means Britain is facing
one of the worst recessions of any major economy. Boris Johnson’s
decision to cut universal credit will hit millions of families
who are already struggling to get by.
“There cannot be another repeat of the government’s indecision
and mismanagement of the free school meals scandal. The
government must put families first during this lockdown and act
now instead of waiting until the last minute.
“If ministers refuse, Conservative MPs have to opportunity to
vote with Labour and give families the support they need to get
through this pandemic.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- The Opposition Day debate motion, tabled today, is as
follows:
Jonathan Reynolds
Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit
That this House believes that the Government should stop the
planned cut in Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit in April
and give certainty today to the six million families for whom it
is worth an extra £1,000 a year.
- Asked at a Liason Committee hearing yesterday if he would
provide certainty to families and cancel the cut, the Prime
Minister refused, saying:
"I think that what we want to see is jobs, we want people in
employment and we want to see the economy bouncing back.
"And I think most people in this country want to see a focus
on jobs and growth in wages than on welfare, but clearly we have
to keep all of these things under review."
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/boris-johnson-on-universal-credit-23316164
- Money advice service estimates the average monthly
electricity bill is £34, gas bill is £33 and average broadband
bill is £30.30, giving a combined monthly cost of £97.30 or
annual cost of £1167.60
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/what-is-the-average-cost-of-utility-bills-per-month#:~:text=With%20price%20increases%20happening%20throughout,it's%20%C2%A356%20for%20gas.
