Time to end agony of Tory benefits freeze

Sir, - The fact that according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation an additional 700,000 UK children and pensioners have fallen into relative poverty over the past four years is totally unacceptable and must act as a wake-up call to the Tory Government.

Indeed, the charity said it was the first time in 20 years that poverty in these groups had seen sustained rises.

According to the report, since 2013 an extra 300,000 pensioners and 400,000 children are now living in poverty and the “prospects for solving” the problem “currently look worrying”.

Despite the protection of the value of the basic state pension since 2010, Pension Credit – a benefit paid to the poorest pensioners – has not kept pace with rising costs.

Child poverty has also been driven by stagnant wages for low income families and a freeze on benefits and changes to tax credits, which many families, both in and out of work, rely on.

New threats to the poorest households are numerous and include rising housing costs, higher food and energy bills, debts and not being able to contribute to a pension.

It is a real struggle for many thousands of people every day to make ends meets, and that number is only likely to rise.

Ending the benefits freeze is the single biggest change the Government could make to help those now living in poverty.

It must do so, and do so now, before we push hundreds of thousands more people into the misery of poverty. Alex Orr. Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh.

Picture: PA. There have been many protests again benefit cuts.