Taunton Deane Labour Party is urging the Government, at the eleventh hour, to reconsider its decision to cut Universal Credit by £20 per week (£86 per month) from 5th October – leaving hard-pressed families with a huge hole in their household budgets.

“This cut could hardly have come at a worse time,” said Constituency Chair Sam Booker. “People are facing higher fuel and food bills as inflation rises, all this is on top of uncertainty about essential supplies as the economy reels from the impact of the pandemic and Brexit.”

Universal Credit it is an essential safety net for the thousands of lower-paid workers in this constituency as well as those who are unemployed. Measures announced by the Chancellor won’t have the same coverage as Universal Credit and won’t help those who are experiencing real hardship. “I know what it’s like to claim Universal Credit,” he continued. “The anxiety associated with a message from your work coach or handler is difficult to deal with at the best of times, but this cut leaves hard-working families to make the choice between fuelling their cars, which is already difficult thanks to this government’s incompetence, or feeding their children.”

“The Government should think again,” said Mr Booker. “Given all their claims about ‘levelling-up’, the least well-off in our community may well see this as a kick in the teeth as they face the economic storm ahead.”