Fears the poor will get poorer
The North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) is particularly concerned about the impact the cuts will have on children, highlighting even before the onset of the pandemic, the North East had the second highest rate of child poverty in the UK at an average of 37%.
NECPC Director Amanda Bailey said: “I think what the pandemic has shown is that before this increase, Universal Credit was not really enough to live on. Removing this payment is going to put a lot of families – many of whom are working on low incomes – into a situation where they’ re going to have to make very difficult decisions such as whether to put the heating on or parents having to go without food to buy their child a coat or new school shoes.
“With the joint highest number of families with children on Universal and Working tax credit, the North East and places such as Sunderland and South Tyneside are going to be disproportionately hit by this cut.
“This is a very worrying time for families and the Government needs to reconsider this policy–although at is no indication they are going to.
“Given the impact this cut is going to have on the NorthEast, we need every M Pin the region to be standing up and fighting our cause.”
Led by Durham City MP, Mary Kelly Foy, 17 Labour MPs from across the North East have also penned a letter to the Chancellor, pleading with him to re consider his decision.
Mrs Kelly Foy said: “There isn’t a single MP who’s not aware of the devastating impact the cut to Universal Credit will have on their constituents and their local economies, so for any politician to support it is both cruel and illogical.
“In my own constituency we have 6,510 working age families who will be impacted by the cut, as well as 3,260 working age families with children. Every MP will have seen similar data for their own constituency, and they owe it to theirconstituents to do everything they can to fight this cut.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Sunderland City Council’s portfolio holder for Children’s Services, Cllr Louise Farthing, who added :“I find the decision to press ahead with this cut abhorrent and I can’t believe we live in a country where a government would even consider removing this payment.
“Many people in receipt of Universal Credit do work and will also now face the increase in National Insurance contributions. It’s heart-breaking. The government talks about level ling up but all this will do is make poor people even poor er.
“I certainly think the government needs to look at this again and think about the impact it will have.”
Responding to calls for are think, the government stressed the payment was always meant to be “temporary” and highlighted the £9bn which will has been spent on the Universal Credit £20 per week uplift initiative since the onset of the pandemic.
A government spokesman said: “The uplift to Universal Credit was always temporary. It was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic, and it has done so.
“Universal Credit will continue to provide vital support for those both in and out of work and it’s right that the Government should focus on our Plan for Jobs, supporting people back into work and supporting those already employed to progress and earn more.”