CAML Chief Executive, Suzanne Hudson, has written to our local MPs asking them to urge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to confirm that benefits will be uprated in April in line with inflation in the Autumn Statement.
Millions of households are living through the biggest cost-of-living crisis in decades. They urgently need reassurance from the government that things will not get worse for them this winter. If benefits are frozen for April 2024-March 2025, this will result in significant real-terms cuts in Universal Credit (UC) awards.
Across the Citizens Advice network, over half of all households coming to us for debt advice already have more money going out on essentials than coming in. They are particularly vulnerable if benefits aren’t keeping pace with prices. The average amount of income gap each month is £30.50. This will almost triple to more than £80 per month if benefits are frozen. Many people in a negative budget are in work – yet are unable to pay for basic essentials on their current income.
The example below shows that in Mitcham and Morden residents are being affected with Personal Independence Payments the top cost of living advice issue residents are seeking CAML’s support for.
CAML Support for Mitcham and Morden Residents – Top 5 Cost of Living Issues
