Devolved nations issue joint letter in support of Universal Credit uplift

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have written a joint letter to the UK Government calling for a reversal of plans to cut the £20 uplift to Universal Credit.

Devolved nations issue joint letter in support of Universal Credit uplift

Shona Robison, social justice secretary

The £20 increase to the benefit was introduced during the coronavirus pandemic, but is due to end on October 6.

A joint letter has now been sent by Scotland’s social justice secretary Shona Robison, Welsh social justice minister Jane Hutt and Northern Ireland’s communities minister Deirdre Hargey to the UK’s work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey.

The letter states that the planned reduction “means the biggest overnight reduction to a basic rate of social security since the modern welfare state began, more than 70 years ago.”

The devolved nations warned that failing to maintain the recent uplift will “increase hardship and poverty for people who are already struggling”.

The full letter can be found here.

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