Plans to end the freeze on benefits this year must be the start of a fairer system according to the manager of Dumbarton Citizens Advice Bureau.
Working age benefits such as Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance will rise by 1.7 percent from April the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed late last year – the first rise since 2016.
And Gareth King of the Dumbarton CAB welcomed the news, although he hopes it will just be the start of work to create a more just system, with the CAB working with people he claims have been forced into debt by the lack of an increase.
Gareth said: “The amount of people being pushed towards debt and poverty is why we’ve been calling for an end to the freeze and specifically for improvements to Universal Credit, so that people in work can keep more of what they earn.”
“Uprating payments in line with the cost of living is important, but the freeze was an effective cut to people’s incomes over the past five years.
“So while the end to the benefits freeze does not reverse that cut, it is a welcome first step, and we hope it’s the start of a process ensuring our social security system actually helps lift people out of poverty.”
Gareth has also made calls for changes to be made to the controversial Universal Credit system, where claimants can face a lengthy wait for their first payment that can force them into financial difficulty.
He continued: “At WDCAB we’re calling for further changes to Universal Credit to ensure people get the support they need. The Government should use the March Budget to introduce a Work Allowance for everyone on Universal Credit, as well as implementing wider reforms, including an end to the five week wait for the first Universal Credit payment.”
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