03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Labour launches petition to extend Universal Credit

SENEDD Member, Eluned Morgan and Mid & West Wales Labour Representatives have launched a petition urging Tory Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, to reconsider planned cuts to Universal Credit this April which is set to be debated in Westminster on Monday.

The Welsh Labour petition comes as Tory Government officials have refused to commit to ruling out weekly cuts at a time when millions of families are struggling to pay for essentials.

The Mid & West Wales Senedd Member said:

“For many families, the £20 weekly Universal Credit uplift means the difference between heating and eating.

“The pandemic has exposed the inadequacies of the current welfare system and the inequalities faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged families.

“Universal Credit has been a lifeline for many, and many rely on this money to get them through. The Tory government’s cruel plans would remove vital support for the poorest at the worst possible time.”

Thousands are in receipt of Universal Credit across Mid & West Wales.

Prior to the Pandemic, Ms. Morgan hosted a series of one-stop-money advice shops across the region.

She added:

“Even before Covid, people were struggling to meet the rising costs of living. Greater support is needed for the most vulnerable in our communities – not punishment.”

Ben Gwalchmai, on of Labour’s regional list Candidates for Mid and West Wales highlighted the view of the much-respected Joseph Rowntree Foundation who have warned that a £1,000 annual reduction for over 6 million low-income households would lead to a living standards crisis.

“Even before the pandemic hit, too many households across Mid & West Wales were struggling to make ends meet.  The impact of the pandemic has meant that household incomes have fallen again, creating a second wave of poverty in our communities.

“That is why we are calling on the Conservatives to do the right thing; to stand by their constituents for whom poverty has become part of their everyday life and for whom there is no easy way out without the much-needed support from the government.  Another failure to act will cause unnecessary hardship for thousands and further damage our economic recovery.”

Join our call for this boost to be extended by signing our petition: https://www.change.org/HaltUCCuts

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