Archbishop calls for halt to Universal Credit

THE Archbishop of Canterbury has called for the rollout of Universal Credit to be halted, saying it has left people worse off.

Justin Welby received a standing ovation at the TUC Congress in Manchester when he attacked the benefits system, said the living wage should be higher and criticised firms like Amazon for paying “almost nothing” in taxes.

He also hit out at the so-called gig economy and zero-hours contracts, saying they were “nothing new”, and adding: “It is the reincarnation of an ancient evil.”

In a question-and-answer session after his speech, the archbishop was asked for his view on the government’s flagship welfare reform of Universal Credit.

“It was supposed to make it simpler and more efficient. It has not done that. It has left too many people worse off, putting them at risk of hunger, debt, rent arrears and food banks.

“When Universal Credit comes into a local area the number of people going to food banks goes up.

“What is clear is if they cannot get it right they need to stop rolling it out.”

The archbishop won applause from delegates for a section of his speech devoted to tax.

He said: “Not paying taxes speaks of the absence of commitment to our shared humanity, to solidarity and justice. If you earn money from a community, you should pay your share of tax to that community.

“It’s right and proper for people to arrange their tax affairs, and for companies to do so. But when vast companies like Amazon can get away with paying almost nothing in tax, there is something wrong with the tax system.”