Impact of Universal Credit Reduction on Coalfield Communities

That the Parliament notes the research by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust into the impact that the recent changes to Universal Credit will have on coalfield communities in Scotland; understands that the key findings of the report include that 39,000 individuals, couples and families in coalfield communities will be impacted by the reduction to Universal Credit, including 7,297 families in Midlothian, that at least 27,000 children living in coalfield communities will be affected, and that 17,000 coalfield community families with children will see a reduction in their Universal Credit; further understands that coalfield communities have one third more Universal Credit recipients than Scotland’s average, and that coalfield community families in Scotland will lose £40 million per year with the reduction in Universal Credit, and believes that such reductions to welfare programmes by the UK Conservative administration further harm coalfield communities, which it considers were ravaged by mine closures under previous UK Conservative administrations.