Chancellor hits back over benefit cut fears

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has claimed people will not be forced into poverty when the Government cuts Universal Credit within weeks.

MPs called on the Chancellor to retain the £20 boost to the benefit payment, which was temporarily introduced to help claimants weather the storm of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Government plans to start phasing out the UC increase from the end of September.

Challenged in the Commons about claims that the plans will cause hardship to millions of people, Mr Sunak replied: "I don't accept that people will be forced into poverty, because we know, and all the evidence and history tells us, the best way to take people out of poverty is to find them high-quality work.

"We are creating jobs at a rapid rate - eight months of continuous growth in employment supported by this Government, traineeships, sector-based work academies, apprenticeships, Kickstart, you name it.

"We are delivering it to help people get the skills and the jobs they need to help support their families."

Shadow Treasury minister and Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson criticised the planned ending of the UC uplift.

She said: "When the Chancellor increased Universal Credit 18 months ago, he said he wanted to look back and remember how we thought first of others and acted with decency. Is taking £20 a week from millions of families across our country is really an act of decency?"

"£20 a week means being able to afford to buy coats for your children this winter, and not having to worry about turning on the heating.”