With a five-week-wait being too long for many families, how are the main political parties addressing the issue of Universal Credit?
The UK’s largest food bank provider has called on the next government to reform the Universal Credit.
Food bank provider, the Trussell Trust, says that the five-week wait for the first benefit payment is far too long for families.
The charity has published a manifesto for the 2019 General Election that calls for all political parties to make three changes to tackle poverty and hunger problem as well as reduce the demand of food bank.
Those changes aim to “start working towards a future where no one needs a food bank” and “put money back into the pocket of people”, read in the trust’s manifesto.
A recent report released by The Trussell Trust revealed that the five-week wait for Universal Credit is one of the driving forces in increased food bank usage. The trust also launched the #5WeeksTooLong campaign to raise awareness about the issue earlier this year.
Emma Revie, Chief executive of Trussell Trust said in a statement, “Our next government must start working towards a future where no one needs a food bank.”
Concerning food bank will face the busiest month in December, Revie said many families still rely on food banks every Christmas. “It’s in our power to reach a future where everyone has enough money for the basics.” She added, “This can change.”
Abby Jitendra, Policy & Research Manager at Trussell Trust, has paid close attention to the response of different political parties towards to Universal Credit in recent weeks and said that most of them were “acknowledging #5WeeksTooLong”.
However, she said it was frustrating that Universal Credit “isn’t getting more airtime” during the election. She thinks that every candidate from political parties should regard this as a key concern.
Frustrating that #UniversalCredit isn't getting more airtime during this election – when fully rolled out, millions of households will rely on it for their income, and making sure it pays fairly and works well should be every candidate's key concern.
— Abby Jitendra (@abbyabhaya) November 25, 2019
The Conservatives
The Conservative Party has pledged that it will “continue the rollout of Universal Credit” in its 2019 elecltion manifesto.
Although the manifesto did not mention any information about the five weeks wait, the party said they will “do more to make sure that Universal Credit works for the most vulnerable”, including to end the benefits freeze and to reduce poverty by more efforts.
Nevertheless, the Trussell Trust previously expressed its concern over the rollout of Universal Credit in the next stage.
Research has shown there is a connection between Universal Credit and food bank use and that there is a noticeable increase in demand in local Trussell Trust food banks when Universal Credit was launched in the area.
Labour Party
In the official election manifesto, Labour party regards Universal Credit as “a catastrophe” since it has pushed people into hunger and poverty and forced parents to use food banks.
Labour says that it will scrap Universal Credit and party leader Jeremy Corbyn has described the Tories flagship welfare reform as “inhumane” in a statement released by the party in September.
The party pledges to “end the five-week wait by introducing an interim payment” as well as suspend the current sanction regime ensuring employment support is “positive not punitive”.
Liberal Democrats
In terms of the welfare system, Liberal Democrats has pledged to reform Universal Credit to build “a safety net that works” in their election manifesto. This includes reducing the wait for the first benefits payment from five weeks to five days.
The manifesto also mentioned that the current system is “not working as it should” by “driving people further into poverty and forcing families to rely on foodbanks to get by”.
The party has also promised to extend free school meals to all secondary school children whose families receive Universal Credit.
The other parties
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has pledged to end the punitive benefit sanctions regime, and a halt to Universal Credit as well as an immediate end to the benefit freeze. The party has warned that Universal Credit is “having catastrophic consequences” in the official manifesto.
The Green Party has said that it will replace Universal Credit, which it has labelled a “cruel benefit sanctions regime” leading to people facing destitution in the manifesto. The party will also create a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to change the current social welfare system.
The Brexit Party has released a document named Contract With The People which says that the Universal Credit has failed to achieve the intended result and “needs to be revisited”.
Trussell Trust director of policy and external affairs, Garry Lemon, wrote in the trust’s report that there has been widespread backing for its call to end the five-week wait: “Our #5WeeksTooLong campaign … has gained support from more than 40 organisations across diverse fields including disability, housing, mental health, homelessness, debt and poverty, together representing millions of people.”
“Thousands of people have written to their MP calling for change,” he said. “There has been cross-party support in Parliament for an end to the wait.”