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Daily Record
Lifestyle
Linda Howard

Rishi Sunak gives cryptic response when asked about bringing back £20 Universal Credit weekly uplift

Rishi Sunak danced around the topic of bringing back the £20 Universal Credit weekly uplift, which was introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, during an appearance on the Sunday Morning programme on BBC One.

The Chancellor was discussing support measures now in place aimed at helping millions of households cope with the cost of living crisis ahead of eye-watering increases to energy bills and inflation coming next month, on top of record-breaking petrol prices.

Presenter Sophie Raworth asked him: “What would help the poorest people, clearly, is what you introduced during the pandemic, the £20 Universal Credit uplift, would you reintroduce that or would you rule that out?”

However, instead of a decisive, clear cut answer, the Tory minister outlined all the support that the UK Government has introduced to help ease the financial squeeze.

He responded: “I think what we’re doing is taking targeted action on the areas where we know there’s most acute pressure, for example, on energy bills and that’s why we’ve put a scheme in place, worth £9 billion, it will considerably help people.

“For people on Universal Credit, we’ve taken an approach to help make sure their work is rewarded and, of course, I want to make sure that we’re helping people who are most vulnerable.”

He went on to explain how the cut to the Universal Credit taper rate rule will see workers claiming the benefit, around “£1,000 a year better off”.

He said: “That person is going to be, on average, £1,000 better off as a result of that policy. That’s this government making sure that we provide support to those on the lowest incomes.”

“I’m enormously proud that we’re doing that because I want to make sure that those people get our help, and they are getting our help.”

Martin Lewis also appeared on the news and current affairs programme and said that the 54% energy price cap rise, the equivalent to £693 on top of current fuel bills, from April 1 will be “catastrophic for millions of households.

He also highlighted that Ofgem is seven weeks into its next price cap review and already analysts are predicting an increase of “at least another £600 a year” - which would take the total increase to £1,300 by October, when the new prices are implemented.

The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com said: “I’ve been Money Saving Expert since 2000. I’ve been through the financial crash, I’ve been through Covid which was mitigated by some of the measures the Chancellor put in place. This is the worst - where we are right now, this is the worst.

“When I’m reading messages from people saying money prioritisation used to be ‘do I go to the hairdressers, or do I go to the pub and have a takeaway’.

“Now it’s about prioritising ‘feeding my children over feeding myself’. That is simply not tenable in our society and there is absolute panic - and it has not started yet.”

In a direct plea to Rishi Sunak, he said: “As the Money Saving Expert who’s been known for this - I am virtually out of tools to help people now.

“It’s not something money management can fix. It’s not something for those in the lowest incomes, telling them to cut their bills will work. We need political intervention.”

The Chancellor will deliver his Spring Statement on Wednesday, March 23.

To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.

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