This year Christmas will be cancelled for thousands of families
claiming the government’s new all-in-one benefit, Universal
Credit. Unite is calling on the government to stop and fix
Universal Credit before even more families will be forced to use
food banks and struggle to heat their homes this Christmas.
The government has also admitted that the Universal Credit
helpline for claimants will be closed for the majority of the
Christmas period, making life even more difficult for claimants
needing advice and emergency help.
Unite Community members and campaigners will be holding street
stalls in 70 towns and city centres across the UK* on Saturday 2
December to help raise awareness of who will be affected by
Universal Credit.
As well as the long waits for the benefit there are other
problems with Universal Credit such as the complex online-only
application process and the housing benefit element not being
paid direct to landlords causing rent arrears and in some cases
eviction.
Liane Groves, Head of Unite Community
says: “Despite knowing that
Universal Credit causes serious problems for those claiming it
the government is ploughing ahead regardless while claimants are
descending into debt, relying on food banks and getting into rent
arrears and in many cases are being evicted from their
homes.
“In order to claim Universal Credit claimants need an
internet connection which many simply can’t afford.
“Unite is demanding a cut in the long waits to
receive money, for people to be able to apply in job centres not
just online, better help for people when the system fails,
landlords to be paid directly to avoid people getting into rent
arrears and losing their homes, and an end to benefit sanctions
for people in and out of work.”
In Britain** there are currently 505,549 households receiving
Universal Credit but a further 1,513,970 will be put on this
winter and this figure is expected to reach 5,915,290 once the
government has finished rolling it out fully by March 2022.
Over 1.2 million low paid part-time workers will also be affected
by Universal Credit and for the first time ever people in work
could face being sanctioned (having their benefits stopped) if
they don’t prove to the job centre that they’re searching for
better paid work or more hours.
The Trussell Trust, the UK’s biggest foodbank, says demand in
areas where Universal Credit has already been rolled out has
increased by an average of 30 per cent and landlords report a
huge increase in rent arrears.
Community members will be handing out leaflets with information
and getting people to sign a petition to call on the government
to stop the roll out of Universal Credit and fix the problems
with it.
ENDS
Notes to editors
**These figures do not include Northern Ireland and are sourced
from the House of Commons Library.
The new benefit, which is replacing six benefits – child tax
credit, housing benefit, income support, income-based jobseeker’s
allowance, income-related employment and support allowance and
working tax credit – will affect seven million UK households.
