‘Older people will be affected’ Woman, 60, faces losing home due to Universal Credit cut

Older people will be affected by UC cuts too' says Joanna Cherry MP

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

This cut will see thousands of families lose over £1000 each year. It’s not just younger people and those with children that may suffer.

MP Joanna Cherry argued today during the debate that older people will also be negatively impacted.

She said: “Particularly older single people will be affected by this cut as well.

“I have a 60-year-old female constituent with a mortgage who has had her hours of work cut from full time to 26hrs a week.

“At her age she is going to find it hard to find more work.

“She tells me that losing this uplift will mean the difference between keeping or having to give up the home she’s worked so hard to pay for.”

The Labour Party today is calling for the cut to be stopped.

Labour have urged that: “This is a major cut that will affect millions of families across the country.

“We have given Tory MPs the chance to do the right thing. We would expect them to vote on a motion that will have a major impact on people’s lives.”

However, it appears the Government doesn’t have any intentions of changing their minds about ending the uplift, as a spokesperson explained: “I think we’ve set out very clearly our plans around Universal Credit and our plan for jobs and encouraging a high-wage, high-skilled economy and we will stick to that position.”

This announcement comes at a time when the Government have mentioned a reshuffling of cabinet which some people have argued was intended as a distraction from the vote.

A Labour spokesperson said: “I think it speaks to the Government’s warped priorities that this afternoon they have a chance to cancel the cut to Universal Credit that will affect millions of families.

“Instead, once again they are more concerned about jobs for their mates.”

The cut of the temporary uplift has been described as “the single biggest overnight cut in the history of the welfare state”, affecting one in 14 British workers.

Charities have warned that claimants may need to work up to nine extra hours a week to make-up the difference.

Universal Credit is a payment designed to help those out of work, unable to work or who are on a low income.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) agreed that every person receiving UC should receive an increase of £20 per week due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March last year, Chancellor of the Excheuqer Rishi Sunak said every person receiving Universal Credit would receive an increase of £20 per week due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for one-year – which was later extended to the end of September this year.

By removing this uplift, charities have said poverty may increase among the six million claimants of Universal Credit.

The government justify the cuts as they are aiming to move more people into work, enabling them to make more money.

However, research has shown that 40 percent of these claimants – over two million people – are already in work.

Source: Read Full Article