Charities want £20 uplift in UC to be for good

THE Chancellor has been criticised for failing to make the temporary uplift in Universal Credit permanent.

Citizens Advice Scotland said the £20-per-week increase has enabled many households to keep their heads above water during the pandemic.

Rishi Sunak said the uplift would be extended for six months.

But CAS spokeswoman Nina Ballantyne said: “Universal Credit wasn’t enough to live on before the pandemic, and if the uplift ends, whether now or in six months, it will be worth less in real terms than it was when it was first introduced in 2013.

“If the uplift is removed in October, people on UC face a cash income drop of as much as a quarter.

“Strengthening our social security safety net and, in turn, our overall economy – rather than weakening it through continued uncertainty – should be the priority of government.

“The cost of extending the uplift is a drop in the ocean compared to the pressure that will be placed on other public services when it’s cut.

“Delaying the final decision on the uplift has again left people without financial security when they need it most.”

Disability groups also said the short-term extension does not go far enough.

James Taylor, executive director of strategy at the charity Scope, said the uplift had been an “enormous help to those hit hardest by the pandemic”.

He said: “A temporary extension isn’t enough; another six months would mean the uplift ending just as unemployment is set to peak.”