Budget benefits increase extension 'not enough', claim anti-poverty charity
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A MAJOR anti-poverty charity have expressed their disappointment that the extension to benefits increases has only been temporary.
Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in Scotland said they had been hoping the £20 Universal Credit (UC) and Tax Credits (TC) uplift would be made permanent in Chancellor Rishi Sunak's spring budget. While it was extended, it was only done so on a temporary basis.
As the pandemic unfolded, the number of Universal Credit claims in Scotland increased significantly along with the rest of the UK. In May 2020, there was a 65 per cent increase in the number of households claiming UC, compared to the start of the year.
By August 2020, the number of individuals in receipt of UC in Scotland had nearly doubled, reaching over 470,000 claimants. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation modelling estimates that 1.2 million people of all ages in Scotland will benefit if these increases are instead continued permanently.
Emma Jackson, National Director of CAP in Scotland, said, “The Chancellor set out welcomed measures to protect jobs and livelihoods but alone they simply will not protect living standards.
"This six-month extension of the Universal Credit £20 uplift is simply not enough for the many families across Scotland who find themselves burdened by the weight of the pandemic. We know right now that things are incredibly difficult for those on the lowest of incomes and that they need longer more sustainable financial support than what is being provided for them.”
Increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax credit as a result of the pandemic was described by CAP a bold and compassionate measure by the government that has prevented hundreds of thousands of families across Scotland from being pulled further under by the tide of poverty.
"Those most impacted by the pandemic are those who have lost loved ones, lost jobs and borne the risks of working on the frontline for low wages. This budget brings long-term certainty for businesses, with sensible tapering of support to help them transition into the recovery, but households have not been afforded this - when furlough ends, many will need Universal Credit right at the time when it will be cut back.
Ms Jackson continued: “The temporary extension does not take away the fear and anxiety that many are facing.
"Moreover, those on legacy benefits were also overlooked again in this budget. The people of Scotland need certainty that they will be able to keep food on the table, heat their homes and support their families.
"We’re urging the government to think again, do the right thing, and provide hope and certainty to those most in need during the difficult years ahead by making the uplift permanent.”
