Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats Call for Universal Credit Uplift to be Made Permanent, Not Scrapped

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have today written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to call for the £20 Universal Credit uplift introduced last year to be made permanent, rather than removed in April as currently scheduled.

Currently the Government is scheduled to scrap the rise on 12th April, causing severe concern amongst those in receipt of Universal Credit. In advance of next week's Budget, the letter sent today from Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Christine McHugh insists that 'To lose that vital increase is utterly unthinkable for households across our communities'.

She writes: "The pandemic has of course increased the number of people who need this support, and the positive impact of the Universal Credit uplift has only revealed the need for basic rate to be higher on a permanent basis, rather than cut back to the previous inadequate level.'

"We therefore ask that you cancel the planned withdrawal of the Universal Credit uplift in April and instead make the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent."

You can read the letter in full here.