‘REFORM OF UNIVERSAL CREDIT CAN HELP MORE PEOPLE MOVE INTO WORK’
Shadow minister’s pledge on visit to city
LABOUR would help more unemployed Stoke-on-trent residents into work by revamping Universal Credit, the party’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary has said.
But Jon Ashworth, who visited Bentilee yesterday to see the local impact of the cost of living crisis, also insisted Labour would not be ‘reckless’ with public finances.
Mr Ashworth hit out at the ‘disastrous’ mini-budget of two months ago, as well as the spending cuts and tax rises which are expected to be announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Thursday’s Autumn Statement.
He said that people of Stoke-ontrent were now paying the price for the ‘cavalier’ attitude taken by Liz Truss’s government.
The Labour frontbencher said his party would do more to support cash-strapped pensioners and ‘hard-working families’ unable to pay their energy and food bills – but was adamant that their policies would be ‘fully costed’.
Mr Ashworth was shown around Bentilee Volunteers by Gareth Snell, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Stoke-on-trent Central.
The charity in Brackenfield Avenue offers a range of services to local residents, such as a luncheon club for pensioners, as well as selling secondhand furniture and white goods.
Mr Ashworth said: “Gareth wanted me to see for myself how the cost of living crisis is really hitting people in this part of Stoke-on-trent.
“We know that pensioners are struggling, and I’ve been hearing stories about pensioners wrapping themselves in umpteen blankets because they can’t afford to put their heating on.
“I’ve heard stories of how families on the estate, even when they’re in work, are struggling to pay the bills because the cost of the weekly shopping is going up, gas and electric is going up, everything is going up.”
Mr Hunt is expected to announce inflationary increases to pensions and benefits on Thursday, amid billions of pounds of cuts and tax hikes.
Labour has been calling on the Government to maintain the so-called ‘triple lock’ on the state pension, and Mr Ashworth believes there are other measures which could be implemented to help retirees.
He says Labour would look at increasing uptake of pension credit.
When asked if Labour would make Universal Credit more generous, Mr Ashworth said: “We’ve just seen what happens when politicians are reckless and cavalier with the public finances.
“Every single policy we propose at the next general election will be fully costed.
“We do need to reform Universal Credit fundamentally. We need to look at the work allowance, to help more people move into work.
“So we are looking at a reform plan for UC to help hard-working families in Stoke-on-trent, lift children out of poverty, but crucially help more people move into work.”
Mr Ashworth also said that Labour’s plans for GB Energy – a pubiclyowned energy company – would bring jobs to ‘deindustrialised’ areas of the country.
Mr Snell said: “One of the things I’ve found is that life is too hard for too many people. I was out canvassing in Abbey Hulton, and I spoke to an old couple who opened the door in their dressing gowns and coats because they weren’t putting their heating on until December – they’ve made that decision. I don’t want people to live like that.
“If we had £56 million and spent it on skills and jobs, helping people keep their homes warm, instead of building a new car park opposite another car park, we could seriously change thousands of lives.”
Alex Pitula, manager at Bentilee Volunteers, said the charity had gone ‘back to basics’ in response to the cost of living crisis. He said: “Pensioners are stuck in all week, probably cold and not eating well, so if we can get them out a couple of days a week for a good meal in the warmth, that’s all we want to do.”