Universal Credit payments not enough to live on for claimants - many are skipping meals

It should be noted that while the Universal Credit payment uplift was planned to last for just a year, Rishi Sunak and the DWP have confirmed it will be reviewed and possibly extended in early 2021.

As Thérèse Coffey, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, confirmed on November 25: ” The statutory annual review is separate from the temporary £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit, which was announced by the Chancellor as a temporary measure in March 2020, and enacted for one year under different legislation to support those facing the most financial disruption as a result of the public health emergency.

“As the Government has done throughout this crisis, it will continue to assess how best to support low-income families, which is why we will look at the economic and health context in the new year.”