A bid to stop a Universal Credit cut for hard-up families is being snubbed by the Government.
Tory MPs have been told to abstain from a Commons vote forced by Labour today on making the £20-a-week uplift in the benefit permanent.
Removing support could plunge a further 730,000 children into poverty over this parliament, a report by the Resolution Foundation warned.
It could cut income by 4%, or £600, in the year from April, and push the poverty rate from 21% now to 23% by 2024-25, the think tank said.
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The Foundation’s Karl Handscomb said the decision on whether to keep the boost would “help define if this is a parliament of levelling up living standards, or pushing up poverty”.
The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Reynolds slam-med claims Chancellor Rishi Sunak plans to replace it with a one-off £500.
Footballer Marcus Rashford, who won a U-turn on free school meals, was reportedly due to speak to Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey about the benefit this month.
