Universal Credit cut will see 600,000 workers struggling to afford food
As many as 1.5 million working people could be forced into hardship this winter by the “disastrous decision” to withdraw the £20 per week Universal Credit uplift, according to Citizens Advice.
Research carried out by the independent advice provider suggested that two-thirds of working claimants are bracing themselves to face hardship when the uplift is abolished at the end of the month.
Worrying times ahead
Financial fears include struggling to pay their bills, getting into debt or being forced to sell belongings to make up for the shortfall in their income.
Another quarter of working claimants could face even greater difficulties, the bureau’s research, which was published on Thursday, revealed.
The organisation said as many as 600,000 working Universal Credit (UC) claimants are worried they might not be able to afford food or other basic necessities like toiletries after the reduction in their income is introduced.
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But the Tories still insist on this cut
The government provided an additional £20 per week to UC recipients at the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. But chancellor Rishi Sunak has been adamant it must end by October. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng admitted this week, it could be a “very difficult winter” for some families.
Citizens Advice said the cut would come at the “worst possible time”, with rising energy prices and higher living costs forcing further pressure on household budgets. Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said:
With energy bills set to rise and family finances already stretched to the limit, this cut is coming at the worst possible time.
Shop workers, nursery assistants and security guards are just some of the people on Universal Credit seeking our help because they’re already struggling to make ends meet.
With a cost of living crisis under way, it must reverse the disastrous decision to cut this lifeline.
Millions of workers are already on Universal Credit
Figures from the organisation said that around 2.3 million Universal Credit claimants are already in work, with a further 1.7 million unable to work due to health or caring responsibilities. Frontline staff at Citizens Advice, who are expecting extra demand for their support once the cut is introduced, said many people they are speaking to would struggle to make up the lost money by finding work or increasing their hours.
The taper rate – a reduction to UC based on earnings – means someone paying national insurance and tax could have to work nine hours at the National Living Wage rate to make up for the cut, according to the organisation’s workings. The research findings are based on ICM Unlimited polling for Citizens Advice using a sample of 2,183 adults receiving Universal Credit. The fieldwork was conducted between July 15 and August 2.
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It is alarming and frightening at the rate my weekly basket has shot from £27.95ish to £69.95ish over the past 3 or 4 years with the latter 3/4s in the last 2 years!
Needless to say that as I do online shopping, unable to go out, it’ not so embarrasing and demoralising to empty my basket and start again! £27.95 is my Luxury shop reserved for the winter solstice! People who go to supermarkets just need to be thick skinned and not be embarrassed to say that’s too expensive and start again, perhaps get the supermarket’s scan and add up app!
Sadly Corbyn and The UK Labour Party MPs and activists warned about this! However it seems most chose to hear Thatcher’s Neoliberal Neolabour Party TORIES’ Propaganda, Spin, Sabotage and Smear instead!
And here we all are without a paddle up Shit Creek! With a Dreadful Shite Conservative TORY Party or a Far Worse turning Nazi like Neolabour Party TORIES!
The masses of The UK Labour Party (aka The Left), in and out of the Party need to come up with one magical strategy NOW!
Creating a new Party every 5 seconds is not it!
A New Party without Members, Unions, Constituency Party Representation is not it!
We need a clear Voice of The UK Labour Party without the Interpherence, Sabotage and Undermining from The Neolabour Party TORIES! Even if we had 10 PLPs and 0 Neolabour Party TORIES, but all our Members, Unions, Constituency Labour Party, etc in tact our message will be heard and our message will have a mass impact on the Voting Public after 10 years of the worst TORY abuse of, as The Neolabour Party calls us “The Undeserving Poor”. And a total of 43 years of Thatcherite Neoliberal TORY HELL.
Recovery from this mess is not going to be a Bed of Roses when a Democratic Socialist/Socialist goverment eventually takes over hopefully The PEOPLE will have the common sense to give them the time enough to put it right, however the way things look now even with all that’s going on The PEOPLE seem to enjoy their ride on the Eternal Merry-Go-Round of THIS TORY or THAT TORY! Quite extraordinary!
All I can suggest is:
#VoteALLNeolabourPartyToriesOUT!
#VoteALLUKLabourPartyCandidatesIN!
We’ll likely gain back seats “lost” 2019 and keep most UK Labour Party seats and exiles. That’s if The Neolabour Starmersstruppen TORIES will allow any “left” candidates to stand!
Let’s see what happens!