Almost two million people will start to see a drop in their Universal Credit from next month.
There were more than 1.8 million households, containing around 3.4 million children, claiming the benefit as of May 2021, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Figures, published on Tuesday show the number of children in households claiming UC, many of whom are dependant on the temporary £20 a week uplift, introduced to help claimants weather the storm of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, this uplift- described as a “lifeline” - is to be phased out from late September.
Dan Paskins, director of UK Impact at Save the Children, said: “These figures confirm that the Government’s scheduled cut to Universal Credit will affect nearly three-and-a-half million children.
“The £20 increase has been a lifeline for many families. Parents we work with tell us that they’re relying on the extra £20 per week to buy essentials like food and clothes for their children. Without it, we know that many more families will be pushed into the red.
“This is especially worrying since three-quarters of families with children on Universal Credit have a child under ten, and we know that living in poverty as a young child has lifelong impacts.”
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow child poverty secretary, said the cut will hit the “lowest paid hardest” and hinder economic recovery.
He said: “There is near universal opposition to this cut, which will push more children into poverty.
“Time is running out for the Prime Minister to see sense, back struggling families and cancel his cut to Universal Credit.
“Labour would maintain the uplift until we can replace Universal Credit with a fairer social security system.”
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea
