During the pandemic the government took the enlightened step of pausing the usual deductions that are imposed on those that receive Universal Credit (UC). This was a great benefit to those on such a low income, but the pause was rescinded in Autumn 2021. At this time, when the cost of living crisis is forcing ever increasing numbers of people to rely on food banks, where energy bills are regularly eating up 25% and more of peoples incomes (when a 10% requirement of your income to pay energy bills qualifies you as suffering from fuel poverty) even those who are employed are struggling. Why has the government not instituted the same pause to deductions that existed at the height of the pandemic?! People are undoubtedly worse off now than they were then, and as always those on benefits are hit the hardest. 

The standard single person allowance of UC is currently £317/mth (which isn't enough to cover most peoples fuel bills at the moment!) but most people will never actually receive that amount. UC can deduct up to 25% for whatever they see fit to allow, effectively reducing the monthly payment to £237.75! You can apply to have it reduced... but not stopped, you're ultimately subject to their whims. 

Due to the long delay between applying for and receiving the first of your Universal Credit payments when you first apply (up to 6 weeks!!), new applicants are encouraged to take an advance to tide them over (the equivalent of one month's money, which is paid back as an interest free loan at a rate of £29/mth over 12 months). Once this is paid back and you've been receiving UC for 12 months you can apply for a "Budgeting Advance" (to help pay for expensive items like white goods and home furnishings) on the same terms, realistically meaning that most people will ALWAYS be paying £29/mth off their UC income. 

When UC replaced Job seekers allowance (and other benefits as the rollout reaches its end and "legacy" benefits cease to be) the DWP gained extra powers to take money off people. If you owe rent or Council Tax, this can be deducted from your UC now WITHOUT A COURT Order, the same for Child Support and many other debts.

One close friend of mine currently gets just £251/mth to live on. His deductions include the repayment of a budgeting advance and a supposed Council rent overpayment that he never received ONE SINGLE letter about but that they started taking money from his benefits for 8 YEARS after it was supposedly incurred. He had to bombard both UC and the council for months just to discover what the deduction was for, and it still hasn't been fully explained or justified, nor did he ever have a chance to appeal or make other arrangements for paying it (if indeed the council can prove that it is legitimately owed!) yet every month money is deducted from his benefits. 

How is anyone supposed to survive like that? the price of essential foods has risen by 100% in some cases in the last 18months (2L of milk, for example, which was £1 in 2020 now costs a minimum of £1.65. A half dozen eggs which was 89p when the pandemic hit, now costs £1.69)... and that's before we even talk about heating and lighting your home, buying school uniforms or feeding your pets and paying vets bills! 

It's time the government, the DWP and Universal Credit applied some humanity and common sense to this issue and put an indefinite pause of deductions to means tested benefits, at least until this crisis passes. Please show you agree by signing this petition and help me make our case to the powers that be!

Thank you for reading

Jenni