Dodging properly increasing benefits by inflation is irresponsible - JRF

Following reports the UK government is considering changing the way benefits are uprated this autumn, amounting to a real terms cut, Katie Schmuecker, Principal Policy Adviser for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:

“Our levels of benefits are already completely inadequate and anyone who suggests cutting their value further is clearly out of touch with the reality of life in the UK right now. The basic rate of universal credit is just £85 per week. It already falls a whopping £35 per week short of what is needed to cover a basket of life's essentials like food, utilities and basic items like cleaning products and toiletries."

"Every person who does a supermarket shop or pays bills knows the cost of essentials is still going up quickly - and that is what people on lower incomes spend most of their money on. Dodging properly increasing benefits by inflation is irresponsible and will have impact on wider society, putting strain on public services, the NHS and schools."