This week, the Trussell Trust published a new survey that lays bare the devastating impacts that a £20-a-week cut from Universal Credit payments next month will have for people living in Scotland. This is the biggest overnight cut to social security since the Second World War and will be a huge blow for thousands of Scottish families both in and out of work.
Over 100,000 Scots fear they will be forced to skip meals and switch off their heating this winter if the UK government goes ahead with its plan to cut Universal Credit payments by £20 a week next month.
Worryingly, some 17% of people surveyed from Scotland – representing 82,000 people – also say they are very likely to be forced to a food bank if the cut is introduced next month.
The new research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust* finds that 1 in 4 people currently claiming Universal Credit in Scotland – representing 115,000 people – say they are ‘very likely’ to need to skip meals when the cut hits. Furthermore, a fifth of Scots who were surveyed –representing 101,000 people – told researchers they would struggle to heat their homes this winter if their income is slashed in October.
We agree with Polly Jones, head of Scotland the Trussell Trust, who said “Cutting this lifeline will be a devastating blow for thousands of people in Scotland already struggling to make ends meet. These are families already caught in impossible situations who worry every day about switching on the heating and feeding their children. Families who are nearly at breaking point but just about managing to keep their heads above water. ”
It doesn’t have to be like this and we need your help.
We need to act now, together, to make a difference.
Find out how you can add your voice and help us keep the lifeline here.
*
- The research is based on an online survey by YouGov of 197 adults (18+) in Scotland currently claiming Universal Credit. People were surveyed between 5 – 19 August 2021.
- The figures have been weighted to be representative of people claiming Universal Credit. All weighting data provided by the Trussell Trust from Stat-Xplore.
- Estimates of the number of people are the Trussell Trust’s own analysis. They are calculated by taking the number of people aged 16+ claiming Universal Credit in Scotland in July 2021 and multiplying by the survey results. These figures do not include children.
- The total number of people aged 16+ in Great Britain claiming Universal Credit in July 2021 was 5,923,820. In Northern Ireland in February there were 135,710.
- Data on the UK-wide public is based on an online survey by YouGov of 3,022 adults (16+), undertaken 4-8 August 2021. Figures have been weighted to be representative of all UK adults.