Over 60 organisations and bishops have called on the government to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent and extend it to legacy benefits including ESA and JSA.
The coalition includes charities such as:
- Citizens Advice Scotland
- Child Poverty Action Group
- The Disability Benefits Consortium
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- The Trussell Trust
- Turn2us
In a statement released this week, the coalition said:
“The absence of any announcement on the £20 uplift this week suggests that the Government does not intend to extend this lifeline to legacy benefits – meaning that disabled people and carers will be left, once again, without help as they face rising costs, increased barriers to work and heightened risks from the pandemic. Sick and disabled people and carers already faced much higher risks of poverty, a situation which has only been made worse by having to face a global pandemic without sufficient support. It is simply not right that disabled families have been more likely to go without essentials including food during this health crisis.
“We strongly urge ministers to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent and extend this same support to those on legacy benefits. By doing this, they can keep doing the right thing, keep families afloat and strengthen our social security system so it provides the public service we can all turn to when we hit hard times.”
You can read the full story on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website.
