The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is being urged to reform Universal Credit as over half of claimants are unable to afford enough food to live on, according to new research.
Anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust’s recent survey of the benefit payment’s recipients has shown a new light into the “inadequacy” of the support provided.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is being lobbied to introduced an Essentials Guarantee to Universal Credit as part of an effort to ensure claimants have enough money to pay for necessities.
Over the past year, the Government has rolled out a £900 cost of living payment for those on means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit.
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Universal Credit is a benefit reserved for those on low-income but experts are warning that it is not enough
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However, this temporary support measure is not enough to make sure “social security provides a protected minimum amount”, according to the charity.
Some 55 per cent of people claiming Universal Credit ran out of food last month and were unable to afford more, the Trussell Trust reports.
According to the survey, around 780,000 claimants of the benefit have needed to use a food bank in the last month.
Some 52 per cent of Britons on Universal Credit are either behind on bills or credit card commitments.
Furthermore, 2.4 million people claiming the DWP payment have fallen into debt because they struggle to keep up with rising bills.
An open letter has been signed by more than 100 charities, organisations and public figures calling for Universal Credit reform.
Emma Revie, the chief executive of the Trussell Trust, outlined why the proposal is needed to ensure a better quality of life for those on the benefit payment.
She explained: “The Government must act now to introduce an Essentials Guarantee, ensuring social security provides a protected minimum amount of support so that people can always afford the essentials, such as food and household bills.
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The Trussell Trust is calling for the benefit payment to be reformed
PA“We know that the public is deeply concerned about poverty and hunger, with 72 per cent supporting our call for an Essentials Guarantee and tens of thousands already having signed our petition calling for an Essentials Guarantee.
“We encourage anyone who believes that Universal Credit should always protect people from going without the essentials to join them.
“Every member of the UK Parliament has to take responsibility for making the changes needed to tackle poverty and to bring about the changes required to move towards ending the need for food banks, for good.”
A Government spokesperson told GB News: “We are providing £104billion in cost of living support worth on average £3,700 per household, including investing over £2 billion into the Household Support Fund to help those in most need – and almost £800 million has been paid out to families with children so far.
“Since 2010 there are 1.7 million fewer people living in absolute poverty, and we know work is the best route out of poverty – so we’re going even further, raising the National Living Wage, cutting National Insurance, curbing inflation and investing billions through our Back to Work Plan to break down barriers to work so even more people can secure long-term financial security.”
