Drew Hendry MP (pictured) has urged the UK government to U-turn on the “devastating” Tory cuts to Universal Credit – as new analysis shows 8918 people in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey could see their incomes slashed by £1040 per year from October.
Analysis from the House of Commons Library, using the latest DWP data, has revealed that almost half a million (477,996) people in Scotland could be hit by the cut – at a total cost to Scottish families of around £430million a year.
Of those, 8918 live in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey – representing 13.2% of the constituency adult population aged 16 to 65.
The overwhelming majority of Scottish MPs voted in the House of Commons to stop the Universal Credit cuts but the Tory government plans to impose them anyway.
The SNP has urged the UK government to think again in light of the energy bills crisis – and make the £20 a week uplift permanent and extend it to legacy benefits.
Commenting, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey MP Drew Hendry said:
“Planned tory cuts to Universal Credit will decimate the incomes of around 9000 local families in this constituency at the very time energy prices and inflation are set to soar.
“We are already seeing the highest levels of in-work poverty this century because of Tory cuts, tax hikes and their Brexit shambles.
“People are going out to work day in, day out and still can’t afford to put food on their tables – only the Tories could possibly think the answer is to take even more money out of their pockets.
“The levels of inequality in the UK area an utter disgrace, not to mention the fact that the UK has the worse levels of poverty in northern Europe.
“Instead of attacking those with the least, the Chancellor needs to heed our calls and make the £20 Universal Credit uplift permanent and extend it to legacy benefits – as part of a wider package of measures to protect household incomes.
“Rest assured, along with my SNP colleagues, I will keep up the pressure on the UK Government and urge them to U-turn on this callous move.”
