Published 22nd June
The report on the Department for Work and Pensions’ response to the coronavirus outbreak finds that the pandemic has left huge numbers of people struggling to cover the costs of essentials, with some disabled people in particular hit hard by increased costs of care and rising food prices.
The 2 chief recommendations are:
Raise level of pre-Universal Credit benefits
The Committee argues that it is unacceptable that people have been left facing hardship through no fault of their own, simply because of the outdated and complex way in which so-called legacy benefits are administered. It calls on the DWP to boost the rates by an equivalent amount to the rise in UC, backdated to April.
Suspend No Recourse to Public Funds condition
The report calls for the immediate suspension of the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition that has prevented thousands of people who live and work in the UK legally from claiming benefits and receiving access to financial support, because of their immigration status. Some have children who were born in the UK.
For more information go to the Government website (opens in a new tab)