Read on Twitter
Today parliament debates the £20 uprating of #UniversalCredit and Working Tax Credit. Our forthcoming report demonstrates what removing this would mean: a significant increase the risk and depth of poverty amongst a rising number of claimants... THREAD 
Prior to the pandemic, changes to the tax-benefit system undermined the quality & coverage of the benefits system. The uprating should be understood as less of a ‘boost’ or ‘uplift’ & more as a temporary & partial reversal in cuts for low-income households over last 10 years:
Existing claimants are most likely to have experienced an increase in their outgoings during COVID-19 (42%), compared to new & non-benefit claimants (both ~20%). This underlines the crucial role of the £20 uprating to meet additional costs associated with the pandemic
Despite the £20 uprating, many claimants are still unable to meet the basic cost of living. Spring cuts would increase housing insecurity, debts & hunger: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/19002/pdf/
BAME claimants would be some of the worst affected by the withdrawal. This would reverse limited progress that has been made in tackling the over-representation of BAME households in poverty over the last decade
The big jump in in-work benefit claimants challenges the logic of benefit levels & in-work conditionality. With fewer prospects for pay & work progression, withdrawal of the £20 uplift would increase in-work poverty & reduce work incentives https://bit.ly/3qzq3yy
In the context of a third national lockdown, benefit claimants are facing depleted reserves, poor employment prospects and reduced support/provisions from the government. Withdrawal of the £20 uplift would push many claimants, already on the brink, over the edge into destitution.
In our interviews, claimants expressed deep anxiety about their future incomes & employment security. Claimants need a decision to be made in order to plan for the potential cliff edges to come. Sign up for updates on our projecting findings here: http://hub.salford.ac.uk/welfare-at-a-social-distance/mailing-list/
@salfordWRADAS @ZhaneJEdwards @sophiekhowes @minesh1112 @DrEWincup @StatsPeter @lauracgardiner @ERSA_CEO @EllenClifford1 @octoberpoppy @aaronsreeves @KA_Garthwaite
