Universal credit uplift

That this House recognises the profound impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on the economy and the labour market, forcing many to rely on welfare benefits to survive at this difficult time; notes the importance that the temporary uplift to universal credit of £20 per week has played in providing a lifeline for those struggling financially and registers its deep concern at plans to remove this vital support; further notes that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has estimated that if this temporary uplift is withdrawn, it will remove over £1000 a year from 6 million households, reducing the incomes of the bottom fifth of the population by 7 per cent overnight; understands that this will leave many unable to afford basic necessities such as housing costs, food and heating; recognises that after a four year benefit freeze, as well as the numerous challenges posed by the universal credit system, such as the five-week wait before payments are made, have created huge pressure on the budgets of the most vulnerable, leaving many trapped in debt and despair; and calls on the Government to end the uncertainty faced by millions of households and ensure that this temporary uplift in universal credit is made permanent to avoid a financial cliff-edge for claimants at the end of March 2021 and to commit to a longer term strategy to tackle the shameful levels of poverty across the UK.