Campaign for local families about to be hit by Universal credit reduction taken to Council

Nearly 7,000 families here in Hinckley and Bosworth will be hit by the government's removal of the Universal Credit uplift on October the 6th.

This will see thousands of local families have their income cut by £20 a week. In response to this Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrat Councillors have tabled a motion calling on the government to think again about their plans.

Proposing the motion Hinckley Lib Dem Councillor Michael Mullaney said "Hitting struggling families with a £20 a week reduction in income would be bad at any time. But doing it now, as the furlough scheme comes to an end, as fuel and other prices are rising sharply and when people in work will have to start paying higher National Insurance next year all adds up to putting massive stresses and strains on local families.

"I hope the Council will pass this motion and oppose the reduction in Universal Credit. I hope the Tory government will then listen and drop their plans that will hurt the most struggling families locally"

Seconding the motion Hinckley Lib Dem Councillor Ann Pendlebury (pictured) said ""With inflation on the rise, increasing costs in energy and food, and government imposed rise in national insurance, reducing universal credit to those most in need will have a devastating effect. Our food banks have already seen a rise of 33% in the last 12 months therefore it is absolutely vital that, as winter approaches and the cold weather sets in, we don't force even more of our elderly and the poorest our towns and villages to choose between eating and warmth"