#KeepTheLifeline for Greater Manchester residents

Citizens Advice Greater Manchester is urging the government to make the temporary uplift to Universal Credit permanent and avoid a ‘devastating’ loss for Greater Manchester residents if the lifeline is cut.

The £20 a week uplift has been vital for residents, with 76% of people seeking Citizens Advice help on benefits contacting the charity for the first time. The number of people claiming Universal Credit in the North West has risen 80% since the pandemic began.

Citizens Advice Greater Manchester is pleased the government has extended the £20 uplift to Universal Credit but has warned of the devastating impact of a scheduled cut to Universal Credit in September at the same time the furlough scheme comes to an end.

For households in the region, the loss of £20 a week is equivalent to almost 3 days worth of food or 6 days worth of energy. The removal of this lifeline, coinciding with the end of the furlough scheme in Stepember could leave thousands of families facing a cliff edge in September.

Rachel Howley, Director of Citizens Advice Greater Manchester Manchester, said:

“We support people every day whose lives have been turned upside down by this pandemic. For many of them, Universal Credit is the lifeline that has helped pay the bills and put food on the table.

“We are pleased with the six-month extension to the Universal Credit uplift but households across Greater Manchester now face the devastating prospect of a £20 a week cut to their benefits at the same time the furlough scheme ends in September.

“With a tough outlook in the jobs market, we’re urging the government to continue doing the right thing and make the Universal Credit uplift permanent.”