Skip to main content
NEU Senior Regional Support Officer
Chancellor urged to keep UC uplift as unemployed and disabled people struggle with food and bills

CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak was urged to extend the £20-a-week universal credit (UC) boost indefinitely today after a survey found that unemployed and disabled people are struggling to afford food.

Unite said the survey of its Community members, who include unemployed and disabled people, found 78 per cent of respondents could not live off UC payments, even with the uplift, as they struggled to pay for food and utility bills.

But 52 per cent said the extra money helped “a lot” to make ends meet.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
A Universal Credit sign on a door of a job centre plus in ea
Features / 12 September 2025
12 September 2025

A new report from the Citizens Advice destroys the government narrative about disabled people ‘choosing’ not to work, showing the £3,000 annual cuts will create a two-tiered system based on claim dates rather than needs, writes DYLAN MURPHY

WE WANT TO WORK: Disability activists protest previous welfa
Features / 20 March 2025
20 March 2025
By making Personal Independence Payments harder to access, Labour is creating another barrier for those already struggling with soaring care costs, workplace discrimination and prejudiced employers, argues RUTH HUNT