£20-a-week Universal Credit increase call
The UK Government should commit to keeping the £20-a-week increase in Universal Credit to support families.
That’s the call from Inverclyde councillors.
The call came following a motion to the full council meeting chaired by Provost Martin Brennan.
He said: “These are unprecedented times and so many parts of the country have been affected by the pandemic and the measures put in place to react to it. The motion, agreed by the council, calls on the temporary increase in Universal Credit to be made permanent to help hard-pressed families and individuals to recovery from the hammer blow to the economy.”
The motion, proposed by Councillor Chris McEleny called on the council to write to the Chancellor and to the Prime Minister demanding that the £20 increase to Universal Credit is made permanent and extended to claimants on legacy benefits.
It also committed the council to work with other local government organisations to form a coalition to pressure the government to make the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent.
Councillor McEleny said: “The £20-a-week boost reflected the reality that the level of benefits was not adequate to protect the swiftly increasing number of households relying on them as the crisis hit. Its removal will be a huge loss.
“The increase in benefits has had a positive effect on the lives of thousands of local claimants who are better able to pay for life’s essentials such as good, clothing and utilities. The local economy has also benefited from the increase in benefit levels as claimants spend their money locally thereby supporting local businesses and jobs.”