Last year, the Trussell Trust’s food bank network campaigned for critical changes to the next stage of Universal Credit to prevent more people needing food banks as a result of moving over from the old benefits system.
The Work and Pensions Committee has published a letter from the Secretary of State for the Department for Work & Pensions, Amber Rudd, responding to Frank Field with information about the next stage of Universal Credit and confirming the plans laid out by the department earlier this month.
Garry Lemon, Director of Policy & Research at the Trussell Trust, responds,
“Our network of food banks were at the forefront of calling for critical changes to the next stage of Universal Credit, and it’s encouraging to see the government is listening. It’s good news that people receiving severe disability payments won’t move onto Universal Credit and face a drop in income, and dramatically scaling back the number of people moving over from the old benefits system this year should make time to ensure Universal Credit can support anyone who needs its help.
“A real difference has been made for thousands of people – but there is much more to be done. These changes won’t help the millions of people expected to make a new application to Universal Credit this year. That’s why the next step must be for the government to end the five week wait to make sure no one waiting for Universal Credit is forced to a food bank.”
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Contact
Contact the Trussell Trust’s media team on 020 3137 3699 or [email protected]
Notes to Editor
The Trussell Trust’s report from October 2018, The Next Stage of Universal Credit, can be read here.
About The Trussell Trust:
- The Trussell Trust is here to end hunger and poverty in the UK. We support a network of 428 food banks, operating out of more than 1200 centres across the UK.
- It takes more than food to end hunger. We do three things: support our network to provide emergency food to people referred; help food banks provide additional support to resolve the cause of food bank referral; and bring together the experiences of hundreds of communities on the frontline to challenge the structural issues that lock people in poverty. We’re campaigning for long-term change so we can see a future without the need for food banks.
- Read more at www.trusselltrust.org
