The SNP has warned the Labour Party not to “push even more families into hardship and poverty by imposing a new wave of austerity cuts” at the emergency budget on tomorrow.
It comes ahead of a poverty summit being held by the SNP at Westminster today, with national and local poverty charities and stakeholders discussing the steps needed to tackle and eradicate poverty in the UK.
Ahead of the budget, the SNP has called for the UK government to abandon its cuts to disabled people, reverse its cuts to the winter fuel allowance, and match the Scottish Government’s action on child poverty – including matching the Scottish Child Payment UK-wide by raising the child element of Universal Credit by £27.15 per child per week, abolishing the two child benefit cap, and scrapping the bedroom tax.
The Resolution Foundation has warned that without action, the number of children living in poverty across the UK is expected to rise to 4.6million under the Labour government – the highest level on record.
It forecasts UK child poverty will increase from an estimated 31 per cent in 2024-25 to 33 per cent by 2029-30, dragging a further 300,000 children into poverty.
The foundation has also warned that the UK government’s cuts to disability benefits will result in increased poverty, with between 800,000 and 1.2 million disabled people set to lose support of between £4,200 and £6,300 a year by 2029-30.
Separately, The End Child Poverty coalition warned the cuts would “deepen child poverty and calls into question the government’s commitment to reduce this”.
Commenting, SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman MP said:
“The Labour Party must not push even more families into hardship and poverty by imposing a new wave of austerity cuts at the emergency budget tomorrow.
“It is a badge of shame that poverty and inequality are rising to record levels under the Labour government, with 4.6million UK children expected to be in poverty by the end of this parliament.
“The cuts to disabled people and the winter fuel allowance will entrench poverty in the UK.
“Instead of taking more money from hard-pressed families, the Chancellor should abandon these cuts and take urgent action to lift families out of poverty.
“That means putting money in people’s pockets by matching the Scottish Child Payment, scrapping the two child cap and abolishing the bedroom tax.
“A partial fudge on the two child cap will not wash, when poverty is soaring on Keir Starmer’s watch.
“People in Scotland will not forgive the Labour Party if it presses ahead with austerity 2.0 and pushes even more people into poverty.”
