A minister has said taxes would need to rise to keep the £20 weekly Universal Credit uplift.
Universal Credit has been increased by £20 a week during the pandemic to help people on the lowest incomes.
But the scheme is about to end, with Citizens Advice saying 1.5million people fear not being able to pay bills or afford food when the change comes.
Business minister Paul Scully told Sky News: “The Chancellor… will look at the whole aspect of public finances in the Budget and the Spending Review that is coming up.
“But if you were to reverse the Universal Credit as it is, you would have to put up income tax by the equivalent of a penny and 3p on fuel.
“You have to find £6 billion from somewhere.”
Put to him that “most people would accept putting a penny on income tax” to pay to keep the uplift, he added: “What I’m saying is you have to find £6 billion from somewhere and what you don’t want to be doing, for the lowest paid in particular, is giving with one hand and taking and increasing taxes with the other.”
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