On 28 June, Stephen urged the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions to commit to supporting those most affected by Covid-19 past the cut off date this Autumn.
In the Government’s 2021 Budget, delivered on 3 March, the Chancellor announced that Universal Credit will be reduced by £20 a week from the end of September. If the reduction goes ahead, it will cost six million families an estimated £1,000 a year.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen explained the impact this will have on households across the country, including those with children. Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found that the cut will pull 400,000 people below the poverty line.
Stephen asked the Minister, Will Quince, “what assessment will he make of the impact of that cut on child poverty, before the cut goes ahead?” In his response, Will Quince said “it is our expectation that this additional financial support and other direct Covid support will end once our economy has opened.”
You can watch Stephen’s full contribution below.