Press Release: Universal Credit Uplift Payment

Alan Brown MP pleads with Government over welfare cuts.  

The MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun has asked the UK Government to not follow through on the proposed £20 cut to the universal credit uplift.  

Last week, members voted in favour of keeping the uplift payment after the Tories abstained on the motion tabled by the opposition. However, there are no guarantees this will be honoured by the Government.   

 This week, Mr Brown raised the topic in the House with Therese Coffey. He asked the Secretary of State for the Department and Work and Pensions what discussions she had with the Chancellor about keeping the payment.  

He said:  

“Child poverty is a disgrace in the UK and it is strongly linked to welfare payments. Quite clearly, more people are going to be pushed into poverty if the Tory Government continue with their planned cut to the £20 uplift in universal credit and the working tax credit.  

“Ministers have ducked this all day, but given that the Government did not vote against the motion last week, they have a duty to honour that motion, so will the Secretary of State confirm what discussions she has had with the Chancellor about retaining the vital £20 uplift?” 

However, Dr Coffey made no further pledges as she responded:  

“I updated the House in November and did say that we would be reviewing this in the new year. That is exactly what we are doing, and I am actively considering with the Chancellor the best way to continue to try to support people who are impacted on strongly by the economic impacts of this pandemic.” 

Commenting, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said:  

“Although disappointed, I am not surprised. The Tories aren’t ruling anything out or giving any faith they are going to keep it.  

“This is not party politics; it’s about doing what’s right. They have to keep the uplift payment otherwise we will see more and more pushed into poverty, it’s as simple as that. 

“Many of my constituents will be affected by this as we have seen first-hand the shameful effects of welfare cuts. I have been contacted by a number of constituents on the issue who pleaded with me not to vote in favour of the cuts.  

“I have repeatedly called on the UK Government to make the £20 increase to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits permanent and to extend an equivalent uplift to people claiming legacy benefits who have so far been left out of additional support. 

“The UK Government’s reassurance that the £20 uplift will stay in place until ‘at least’ April 2021 is simply not good enough; people need confirmation that it will be made permanent.   

“People are now facing a cliff edge in April because the UK Government has failed to act and as usual has let this issue run on into the eleventh hour.”