Vicar of Halifax urges Government to rethink axe of Universal Credit boost

The Reverend Canon Hilary Barber believes ministers need to rethink the axing of a £20-a-week uplift brought in last year to help families struggling because of the pandemic.

He supports a letter from 1,100 church leaders addressed to the Prime Minister calling for a last-minute U-turn on ending the boost, due to be axed on Wednesday, October 6.

“I would support the bishops’ letter to encourage the Government not to cut Universal Credit, ” he said. “I think principally because I am aware that so many people who are already in work are receiving Universal Credit and that is because wages are so low, and given what is around the corner with increases in prices of energy, petrol, everything, they’re not going to be having a Christmas.

“In terms of Government budget, if they think they can afford a brand new ship for Boris to travel round the world but they can’t afford to feed our own people then they’ve got their priorities wrong.

"In terms of Government budget, this is small fry.

“Here in Calderdale we know we have a significant number of people living in poverty. Many of them are currently working and I think we have a moral duty to protect the poor and the oppressed, particularly coming out of the pandemic.”

Footballer Marcus Rashford has also urged the government to abandon its plan to cut the Universal Credit uplift.