Dear John
At the beginning of October, the Government plans to cut Universal Credit by £20 a week, reducing the already precarious incomes of families across the UK. We have joined with the debt advice charity Christians Against Poverty, to write a joint open letter to the Prime Minister, standing together to highlight our concerns about the impact the cut would have on people in our churches and communities. We invite you to sign the letter if you are a church leader - or invite the leader(s) at your church to add their names.
If the Government persists with this cut, it would be the single biggest overnight reduction in the basic rate of social security since the welfare state was established in the 1940s. Millions of low-income households will be swept further into poverty as a result. As Christians, we are compelled by the gospel imperative to prioritise the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable. We need church leaders to speak up, because of the impact this will have on our poorest neighbours and church members.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, poorer people in communities all over the country were suffering because the lifelines they needed from our social security system and vital neighbourhood services were not strong enough. Analysis by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown that the cut will particularly hit the north of England, the West Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland. Rather than levelling up the UK, this will compound existing inequalities.
The loss of £1,040 a year will be devastating for many families at a time when energy bills and other household costs are increasing. Instead we can make sure our social security system brings stability, and opens up options and opportunities for people whose income is too low or insecure to make ends meet.
The cut has already been opposed by community groups up and down the country, charities, six former Conservative Work and Pensions Secretaries, and many MPs from all parties. This is an opportunity for the Government to send a message that it listens, and recognises the pressure faced by those on the breadline.
The Government must Keep the Lifeline
Please click the link below to add your name using our online form - or forward this message to the leader(s) at your church. The form will close at 5pm on Friday 24 September 2021.
Best wishes
Liam Purcell
Church Action on Poverty
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