MP, Labour’s Shadow
Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions, commenting on the continuation of
Universal Credit roll out announced by the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions saying;
“It is an insult to those being pushed into debt and rent arrears
by this Government’s punitive six week wait policy that the Work
and Pensions Secretary is suggesting they get another loan to
make ends meet.
“The Work and Pensions Secretary could and should immediately end
the misery caused by the six week wait for payment of Universal
Credit.
“Weeks ago, I wrote to the Secretary of State calling for a pause
to Universal Credit roll out. Even 14 Conservative MPs and the
Chancellor of the Exchequer have recognised that the programme is
failing, yet today Gauke has confirmed he will not act.
“Over a year ago, on the steps of the Downing Street, the Prime
Minister claimed she would help those struggling to get by. The
Government is failing the many by refusing to help the 13 million
people living in poverty in the UK.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
The Tories are failing working people
- Real wages are lower now than they were a decade ago and
in-work poverty is at a record high.
“On these projections real wages will, remarkably, still be below
their 2008 levels in 2021.”
IFS, Autumn Statement analysis, 24 November 2016
https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/budgets/as2016/as2016_pj.pdf
“One in every eight workers in the UK - 3.8 million people - is
now living in poverty. A total of 7.4 million people, including
2.6 million children, are in poverty despite being in a working
family. This means that a record high of 55 per cent of people in
poverty are in working households.”
Joseph Rowntree Foundation, ‘In work poverty hits record high
as the housing crisis fuels insecurity’, 07 December 2016
https://www.jrf.org.uk/press/work-poverty-hits-record-high-housing-crisis-fuels-insecurity
Universal Credit is making matters even worse
- Universal Credit is creating poverty and debt for families
across the country. According to Citizens Advice:
“79% have priority debts such a rent or council tax, 2 in 5 (41%)
have no money available to pay creditors as their monthly spend
on essential living costs is more than their income. Typically
people on Universal Credit only have around £3 a month left to
pay creditors.”
Citizens Advice, ‘Universal Credit expansion is 'a disaster
waiting to happen' says Citizens Advice’, 11 September 2017
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/how-citizens-advice-works/media/press-releases/universal-credit-expansion-is-a-disaster-waiting-to-happen-says-citizens-advice/
- The Government’s own data shows that one in four new claims
is not being paid in full in six weeks and half of Universal
Credit recipients need a loan to cover the first six weeks.
DWP, ‘Universal Credit Statistical Ad Hoc: Payment
Timeliness’, September 2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/645065/universal-credit-payment-timeliness-statistical-ad-hoc.pdf
- Half of families in arrears under Universal Credit have said
that their rent arrears started after they made their claim.
DWP, ‘Research into families claiming Universal Credit’,
September 2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643978/research-into-families-claiming-universal-credit.pdf
Chancellor Phillip Hammond and 14 Tory MPs have expressed
their concerns with Universal Credit
- Fourteen Conservative MPs have now signed a letter to
demanding a pause in the
roll-out of Universal Credit.
“The Government's flagship welfare reforms have been thrown into
jeopardy after 12 Conservative MPs wrote a private letter to the
Work and Pensions Secretary demanding a pause in the roll-out of
Universal Credit.”
The Telegraph, ‘Tory rebellion throws Universal Credit
reforms into chaos’, 28 September 2017
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/28/universal-credit-roll-out-may-paused-head-rebellion-tory-mps/
Nick Robinson: How big a problem do you think
this is morally, and how big a problem is it for the government
politically? There was a dozen of you on the Conservative
backbenches who’ve written a letter…
:
14. There were 14.
NR:
Ahh, that is enough votes to defeat a government if you take it
that far.
BBC Radio 4: Today programme, 2 October 2017
- Chancellor Phillip Hammond has conceded there is are
“challenges” with Universal Credit.
“We recognise that there is a challenge around the waiting time
and the cash flow management that people have during that waiting
time.”
BBC Breakfast, 2 October 2017
