Scottish MPs call for permanent uplift to Universal Credit

Scottish MPs are demanding the Universal Credit uplift, brought it during the pandemic, be made permanent.

The additional £20 payment is due to be reviewed later this month but a cross-party group have written to the Prime Minister urging him to keep it in place.

In a letter to Boris Johnson, the Westminster leaders of the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, Social Democratic Labour Party, Green Party, and Alliance Party called for the Prime Minister to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent, and extend it to legacy benefits - to boost people's incomes amid the growing Tory unemployment crisis.

It comes as Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures this week revealed UK unemployment has risen to 4.8%, with 782,000 fewer people in employment since March, and the number of redundancies at a record high of 314,000 - a record increase of 181,000 on the quarter.

Commenting, SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford MP said:

"The UK is in the grip of a growing Tory unemployment crisis - with record redundancies, nearly 800,000 fewer people in employment, and millions of households seeing their incomes slashed.

"It is crucial that Boris Johnson performs an urgent U-turn on the Tory government's planned cuts to Universal Credit, makes the £20 uplift permanent and extends it to legacy benefits - as part of a wider package of measures to put money in people's pockets.

"The UK Spending Review must include meaningful investment to boost household incomes, which have been hit hard by a decade of Tory cuts. There must be no return to austerity - especially when we know extreme Tory Brexit plans will already make the whole country poorer.

"Tory cuts and delays have caused thousands of unnecessary redundancies, and left many people struggling to get by - including the 3million who have been completely excluded from support. There must be urgent support for these forgotten millions who have been left behind.

"Having pushed so many families into poverty, it is incumbent on the UK government to use its reserved powers over the economy, welfare, and employment law to boost household incomes.

"Scotland shouldn't have to wait for Westminster to act. By withholding investment and blocking the devolution of financial powers, the Tory government had hindered Scotland's ability to respond to the crisis and left many in hardship and poverty.

"Only with the full powers of an independent country can Scotland build the fairer, more equal country we all want to see."