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Nottingham Labour

Nottingham Labour Councillors call on Government to retain £20 a week increase for Universal Credit

Today Nottingham Labour councillors call on the Government to  retain the £20 a week increase to Universal Credit made at the beginning of the pandemic and extend the payment to claimants of legacy benefits who are currently excluded from the additional support.

There are roughly 35,000 people on Universal Credit in Nottingham. These are people that were already struggling before the pandemic and the economic consequences of the lockdown has made life harder for them. The Government was right to help mitigate the this hardship last year with an increase to Universal Credit payments of £20 a week.

Reversing this will hit those already most in need and result in more debt, more rent arrears and greater reliance on food banks for many people in Nottingham. As unemployment across the country hits record highs and incomes are increasingly stretched, it is essential there is an adequate support system for those that need it.

The government needs to urgently reconsider its planned cut.