A portion of fish and chips now costs £12 in some areas of the UK thanks to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
22.05.2022 - 19:33 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An independent think tank founded by former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has called on the government to provide an £700 emergency cash boost to help poorer families struggling under the pressures of soaring household costs.
A report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has urged the Policy in Practice to consider the costs and consequences of three options that could give DWP benefits a much-needed rise as the cost of living crisis bites.
The first option the centre put forward proposes increasing DWP benefits as though they had been given a 10 per cent rise instead of the 3.1 per cent that was applied in April this year. The move would cost the government £31. billion and would enable 4.2 million households to gain an average of £729 a year - equivalent to an extra £60 a month, BirminghamLive reports.
The second option the CSJ submitted involves reinstating the Universal Credit uplift that gave claimants an additional £1,000 a year over 18 months during the coronavirus pandemic. The restoration of this would cost the government £4.2 billion.
READ MORE: Universal Credit and benefits changes to be introduced
The Government, however, has previously indicated this was only ever a temporary intervention. The CSJ acknowledges that the £729 rise may be seen as preferable, as "this lowers the cost to the Treasury, if this is a concern - it is a sensible alternative to restoring the £20 uplift."
The think tank's third proposal is to restore work allowances to 2015 levels, meaning 1.66 million UK households in work and on Universal Credit would benefit from a policy costing £733 million. As a result, each household in work would gain an average of £442 per year.
In its report, the CSJ said: "While the decision to cut
A portion of fish and chips now costs £12 in some areas of the UK thanks to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that in January 2022 there were 5.6 million people across the UK receiving financial support through Universal Credit, a benefit intended to help those out of work or on a low income with daily living costs.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed in its Touchbase newsletter changes to some benefits and State Pension payment dates due to the upcoming bank holidays this week.
Brenda Edwards is set to replace Gemma Collins as Mama Morton in the musical Chicago after the former TOWIE star pulled out due to an injury.The Loose Women panellist, 53, who recently revealed she speaks to her late son Jamal "every day", will be reprising the role in which she made her West End debut over a decade ago. She first appeared as Mama Morton back in 2007 at the Adelphi Theatre after competing on The X Factor.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a string of new measures aimed at helping millions of households across the country deal with the soaring cost of living. It comes as the UK faces record-high levels of inflation and rapidly rising energy and gas bills, forcing many households and families to fall into poverty.
The most vulnerable households in Scotland will receive £1,000 of extra government support to tackle rising energy bills and the cost of living criss, Rishi Sunak has claimed.
Martin Lewis has issued a warning to everyone currently claiming legacy benefits who are set to be moved through the ‘managed migration’ process by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Universal Credit by the end of 2024.
Gemma Collins has pulled out of her role in West End musical Chicago following a knee injury.
Gemma Collins has been forced to pull out of her role in the upcoming UK tour of Chicago due to a knee injury. Back in March, it was announced that the former The Only Way Is Essex star would take on the role of Matron "Mama" Morton on the UK tour of the iconic and much-loved musical.
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Martin Lewis has revealed his 12-point plan to survive the crippling cost of living crisis after sounding the alarm for yet more eye-watering bill hikes.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed changes to some benefits and State Pension payment dates due to the upcoming bank holidays in the first week of June.
A man found himself locked up in a Croatian cell for his entire holiday after border guards discovered he was trying to enter the country with someone else's passport.
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has now restarted the ‘managed migration’ process of moving legacy benefit claimants over to Universal Credit, with the aim of completing the transfer for 2.6 million people over the next two years.