Stephen Morgan MP has written to the Work and Pensions Secretary on behalf of local families to urge the government to reconsider its planned cut to Universal Credit in October.
At the start of the pandemic, the Government increased the standard allowance of Universal Credit by £20 per week which is set to be removed in five weeks’ time. This cut of over £1,000 a year to millions of families is the biggest overnight cut to the social security system since World War II.
In the Portsmouth representative’s constituency alone, 5,550 families will be affected, including 6,907 children.
The Government had originally planned to implement the cut in April 2021 but were forced to change course after the Official Opposition successfully won a vote in House of Commons in January.
Labour had planned to force a vote on the issue in the Commons yesterday (Wednesday 8 September) but this was cancelled by the government. The Portsmouth South representative has instead written to Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey urging her to cancel the cut.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“It is shameful that the very workers who got us through this crisis are now set to lose £1,000 from their income ever year.
“The £20 that is due to be cut is currently enabling some local families to put food on the table at the end of the week. The government cannot pull the rug from under them during this precarious moment for families and the economy.
“The government have cancelled Labour’s vote on this in Parliament, but I’ve written to the Work and Pensions Secretary today to press the government to cancel the cut.”
