“The £20 uplift for benefit claimants was essential to help households get by during the covid lockdowns but is still needed as prices continue to rise”, said Natalie Don MSP.

New research published by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that Westminster cuts to Universal Credit has forced 100,000 more people into absolute poverty in 2022-23. With this damning new evidence, the SNP has repeated calls for the Westminster government to reverse their devastating cuts to Universal Credit and reinstate the £20 uplift.

Anti-poverty campaigners have also repeatedly backed calls for the Tory government at Westminster to reinstate the £20 uplift – which provided families with the basic support they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Natalie Don MSP added:

“The latest research from IFS highlights just how important the £20 uplift was for helping households on Universal Credit. It helped them to overcome the extra costs introduced by the Covid lockdowns, but many of those costs have continued even though the £20 uplift has been removed.

“The IFS research shows that the £20 uplift helped households but that help is still needed as prices continue to rise under this Tory created cost-of-living crisis.

“It’s time for the UK Tory government to listen to the experts of the IFS and the positive impact the £20 uplift had on some of the most vulnerable households and re-introduce this uplift as a matter of urgency.

“Whilst the SNP Government continue to use the full extent of its limited devolved powers to implement progressive policies such as the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grants, it is only with the full powers of independence can we truly address the issue of poverty.”