Sandwell Council calls on Government to reverse Universal Credit drop
There's around 42,000 people claiming universal or tax credit in the area
Sandwell Council are calling on the Government to reverse their decision to remove the £20 Universal Credit increase.
Council Leader Rajbir Singh will write a letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions after councillors passed a motion on Tuesday 12 October.
The motion called for the £20-a-week increase to Universal Credit introduced during the pandemic to continue, after the Government stopped it earlier this month.
In July 2021, there were 42,104 people in Sandwell claiming Universal Credit or tax credit, according to Sandwell Borough Council.
That means the area had the 7th highest number of people claiming in all of England's metropolitan boroughs.
15,876 of those claimants were in employment, while 1,396 were aged between 16-19.
17,417 children in Sandwell are now also entitled to receive free school meals, which is a number that has risen by 23% in just one year.
Councillor Rajbir Singh, leader of Sandwell Council said: “With spiralling energy prices, soaring food and living costs and the end of furlough, now is not the time to reduce over £1,000 per year from our lowest income families.
"If the Government does not reconsider its action many people will be left in the unacceptable position of having to choose whether to heat or eat this winter, to be followed by a spring in which workers will also be hit with an increase in National Insurance.
“As a society, we cannot expect the heaviest burdens to be shouldered by the most vulnerable, I urge the Government to see sense and not punish the poorest in our community.”
Councillor Ahmad Bostan, cabinet member for environment, who proposed the motion, said:
“Much has been said recently about us all being in this together, and now is not the time simply for slogans and words but for real actions."
"We are asking that the Government grasps this real opportunity to help our most vulnerable in our society who have been most hard-hit by the pandemic by reversing its decision to remove the £20 Universal Credit uplift.”
Sandwell Council put in place measures to help residents during the pandemic, including introducing a council tax reduction scheme, offering employment and training support and through foodbanks.