A voluntary organisation supporting Perthshire families has taken a stand against cuts to Universal Credit.
Home-Start Perth and Kinross is concerned about the effect that snipping £20 off the weekly benefit will have on people balancing tight family budgets.
At the start of the pandemic, the UK Government boosted benefits by £20 a week, which equates to £87 a month.
However, this top-up is set to stop overnight from October 1.
Home-Start Perth and Kinross is calling on the UK Government to keep the “lifeline”, campaigning with other organisations and politicians of all parties for the government to reverse its decision.
Jill Scobbie, Home Start Perth and Kinross lead coordinator, said: “It is crucial that the government keeps the £20 Universal Credit top-up for families.
“Growing up in poverty restricts children’s life chances, from affecting their wellbeing, to how they are able to learn and achieve at school, and their future prosperity.
“Families with children have been among the worst affected, with job losses and increased costs of living from repeated lockdowns and school closures, causing many families to struggle financially.
“If we are to ensure more families are not swept up in a rising tide of financial insecurity, with increased living costs, low pay, insecure employment, reduced opportunities and austerity, we must act together across society to create an environment where all families and children can thrive.”
Becky Saunders, head of policy for Home-Start UK, commented: “Parenting is a difficult enough task, and poverty restricts parent’s options and many are locked in a daily struggle to make ends meet, leaving them in impossible situations, making impossible choices for their families.
“With rising living costs and unstable work, poverty is holding families down and leaving parents unable to think about a different future.”
With them is spirit is Christians Against Poverty, CAP, which has advisers helping with debt questions in Strathearn and Highland Perthshire.
The group is taking a stand for those in the Perth and Kinross communities and others in the wider nation who need support now more than ever.
CAP is supporting the 'Keep the Lifeline' campaign, calling for the Universal Credit cut not to happen in October.
So far 1,500 CAP supporters have taken action to write to their MPs and joined with over 100 other organisations in writing to the Prime Minister to call attention to what this means to those who most need help and to outline concerns.
Perth and North Perthshire MP Peter Wishart gave his backing to the Perthshire groups for their stance: “I fully support the call by Home-Start Perth and CAP to halt the £20 a week cut to Universal Credit.
“It is appalling that after the difficulties of the last eighteen months that the chancellor is taking this lifeline away from families that might be plunged into poverty as a result.
“The SNP group at Westminster will continue to oppose this reactionary decision.”
The PA contacted the Department for Work and Pensions on the issue.
A DWP spokesperson defended the plan and suggested the Scottish Parliament could do more to help reduce costs to families.
They said: “As announced by the chancellor at the budget, the uplift to Universal Credit was always temporary.
“It was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic.
“And it has done so, providing vital support for those both in and out of work.
“The Scottish Parliament has significant welfare powers and can top-up existing benefits, pay discretionary payments and create entirely new benefits in areas of devolved responsibility.”
