One hundred organisations, including charities, children’s doctors, public health experts and a Conservative thinktank have signed a letter calling on the UK government to U-turn on planned cuts to Universal Credit.
It comes after a month-long campaign and repeated calls from the SNP for the UK government to maintain the £20 uplift and extend it to legacy benefits.
It also follows a letter signed by six former Work and Pensions secretaries condemning the cuts.
The SNP’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, David Linden MP (pictured), who launched the campaign last month, said:
“By slashing the incomes of six million families by £1040 a year, which will plunge half a million into poverty, the Tories are showing, once again, that they are completely out of touch and don’t have a clue what it’s like to get by on an average income.
“The fact that one hundred organisations and six former Work and Pensions Secretaries, including the architect of Universal Credit, have felt they must write to the UK government to stop these cuts – despite the wealth of evidence showing the damage they would cause – speaks volumes about the priorities of Boris Johnson.
“The Tories clearly have no intention of building a fair recovery from Covid – instead they are cementing poverty and inequality with more austerity cuts, which will wipe out the benefits of progressive SNP policies like the Scottish Child Payment.
“My colleagues and I will continue to push for the cuts to be cancelled but it is clear that independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts.
“It is essential that Scotland becomes an independent country, with the full powers needed to boost incomes, eradicate poverty, and build the strong, fair and equal recovery we need.”
