"Coventry council to urge government to keep £20 Universal Credit benefit"

There are question marks over whether it will be retained



A £20-a-week increase to Universal Credit must be made permanent until the end of the pandemic, Coventry City Council is to demand in a letter to the government.

Councillors approved a motion at full council on Tuesday, January 19, to write to the government calling for the universal credit top-up to be kept in place beyond March 31.

The council has also resolved to “form a coalition” with neighbouring authorities “to pressure the government” into extending the offer.

The motion was pushed through by Labour councillors with Conservatives abstaining and Independent Glenn Williams rejecting.

Labour councillor Jayne Innes [pictured], who proposed the motion, said vulnerable families needed to be offered “certainty”.

She added: “£20 a week may not sound a lot to many of the people listening, but that’s over £1,000 over the course of a year and in the case of Coventry’s local economy this means well over £28m to local shops and businesses.

“After the year they have had, Coventry’s shops and businesses cannot afford to have that £28m clawed back by government.

“Government has already conceded Britain may need lockdowns next winter too. It is clear that, even with the roll-out of the vaccines, this pandemic has some time to run.

“The £20 uplift is needed permanently but is essential until the pandemic comes to an end. Our poorest need certainty their incomes are protected to this level.”

Council leader Cllr George Duggins said writing to the Prime Minister and Chancellor on the concerns was the “honourable” thing to do.

The hell it is!

Why should one group benefit claimants get it and not the others?

It's about time the act of abstaining was stopped. You either vote for or against something. Stand up and be counted you yellow-bellied, blue-rinsed, lilly-livered, ineffective, muppets!

I've said for years that if the dole, Universal Credit or whatever you want to call it paid more than sickness benefit then almost everyone who currently claims sickness benefit would claim unemployment benefit instead and according to the latest figures from the DWP that is exactly what has happened.

I expect the figures to revert back if and when the current £20 bonus paid to Universal Credit claimants expires.