Responding to a new report from the Work and Pensions Committee
on benefits levels in the UK, JRF Senior Policy Adviser
Iain Porter said:
“The case for an Essentials Guarantee is clear. Never in the
history of the welfare state in the UK has the support people
receive been based on actual living costs.
“Universal Credit’s basic rate from April will be just £91 a week
for a single adult, well short of what people need to cover
essentials like food, heating and vital travel, which our
evidence indicates is at least £120 a week.
“It’s completely unacceptable that politicians have even
considered abandoning uprating benefits by inflation in recent
years when so many people haven’t been able to put food on their
table or keep their home warm, so an independent process is
much-needed.
“Now that a respected cross-party group of MPs have looked at the
evidence and accepted the principle that everyone deserves a
minimum level of support that reflects the actual cost of
everyday essentials, the Government must act urgently.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
- The Essentials Guarantee would
embed in our social security system the widely supported
principle that, at a minimum, Universal Credit should protect
people from going without essentials. Developed in line with
public attitude insights and focus groups, this policy would
ensure everyone has a protected minimum amount of support in
Universal Credit to afford essentials. It would enshrine in
legislation:
- a legal minimum in Universal Credit: the standard allowance
would need to at least meet this amount, and deductions (such as
debt repayments to government, or as a result of the benefit cap)
would not be allowed to reduce support below this level;
- an independent process to regularly recommend the Essentials
Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials (such as food,
utilities and vital household items) for the adults in a
household (excluding rent and council tax).
