Universal Credit payment is set to be cut. When the global pandemic kicked in, there was a £20 increase in Universal Credit payment to those receiving it. Due to job losses and various situations, there were more than ten times the usual amount of claims in the two weeks following the Spring lockdown of 2020. People needed support and in these tough times the £20 was a lifeline. This lifeline is now being cut, even though the country is far from being back to normal. Aside from the pandemic, there are other issues going on in terms of the price of living going up, especially with the energy crisis where prices have skyrocketed. People are going to have to choose between eating and heating this winter and that £20 cut will make things even bleaker. This is the reality of these Universal Credit payment cuts.
Feeding People
I saw a number of examples online of what £20 can get you in the supermarkets but I wanted to do my own. Our nearest supermarket is Asda and I’ve put together a list of things that you could make meals with during the week. They won’t be huge portions but they would feed up and fill you.
Shopping List
- Asda Farm Store Apples – 72p
- Asda Farm Store Pears – 55p
- Asda Grower’s Selection Bananas – 97p
- Asda Smart Price Fruit Fromage Frais – 80p
- Asda Smart Price Low Fat Natural Yogurt – 45p
- Asda 6 Medium Free Range Eggs – 88p
- Asda Smart Price Longlife Skimmed Milk – 50p
- Asda Smart Price 10 Fish Fingers – 69p
- Asda Smart Price 20 Sausages – £1
- Asda Baked Beans In Tomato Sauce – 30p
- Asda Salmon Paste – 37p
- Asda Smart Price Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice – 28p
- Asda Smart Price Red Kidney Beans in Water – 30p
- Asda Smart Price Tuna Chunks in Brine – 59p
- Asda Farm Stores Cherry Tomatoes – 48p
- Asda Farm Stores White Potatoes – 94p
- Asda Grower’s Selection Brown Onions – 65p
- Asda Grower’s Selection Carrots – 30p
- Asda Creamy Original Soft Cheese – 79p
- Asda 4 Pack Boil in the Bag Long Grain Rice – 54p
- Asda Fusilli – 45p
- Asda Grower’s Selection Cucumber – 43p
- Asda Smart Price Ready Salted Multipack Crisps – 85p
- Asda Butcher’s Selection Chicken Thighs – £1.97
- Asda Raspberry Jam – 65p
- Asda Smart Price Tea Bags – 39p
- Asda Smart Price Porridge Oats – 75p
- Asda Square Cut Medium White Bread – 49p
- Asda Instant Curry Noodles – 22p
- Asda Shades So Soft Toilet Roll 4 Rolls – £1.70
More Than A List
This adds up to exactly £20. Obviously prices can change week to week with offers being available and from store to store as they charge different amounts. This is a list that adds up to £20. It is more than a list though. I wanted to illustrate that amount of food which is being taken away. Many of these things need cooking so money will be needing for boiling water, powering the microwave or cooking items in the oven.
The reality of this Universal Credit payment cut when people are out of work and the price of living is on the rise, is that people won’t be able to eat. Parents will miss meals so their kids can eat. Our list doesn’t include anything like toiletries, hygiene products, washing powder or other household essentials. We did add toilet roll to the list though. This is not what should be happening in modern day UK.
What People Think
Martin Lewis ran his daily social media Poll on the subject of Universal Credit payment cuts on 27/09/2021. You can see the results for those on Twitter here. The question was “Should the temporary pandemic Universal Credit (UC) uplift of £20/wk (c. £1k/yr) be made permanent?” At the time of writing, 76% of responses said YES. Over 70% clicked the response that they don’t get Universal Credit payments but wanted them to be permanent.
MPs Against The Government
Not everyone in politics things that this is the way to go. Two MPs have the Prime Minister that the majority of people impacted by this Universal Credit payment cut “are in fact already in work” and “low paid, hardworking families will see up to £1,040 slashed from their income”. They added that the £20-a-week boost is “one of our best legacies from the pandemic”. I agree, it could have been a huge positive from one of the worst negatives. Everyday people are going to struggle, those who have jobs and work hard. These people qualify for the help and this assistance is quite literally a lifeline during troublesome times.
Your Thoughts?
Finally, what do you think? I am personally hoping that enough people are going to kick up a fuss about it and the £20 will be retained. I’m unsure if the Prime Minister and the Government actually care though, which will mean a hard winter for many people. It might not seem like a lot to some people, but £20 is a lot of cash to others. As you can see by the food it can provide, it can be the difference between food on the table or not. In conclusion, Universal Credit payment is about to be cut and many will feel the impact.
