Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, has joined his Westminster colleagues in calling for Universal Credit to be halted following a debate in the House of Commons, and further calls from charities across the country that say that the system simply doesn’t work.
Last week, Citizens Advice Scotland published evidence showing that demand for rent arrears increased by 47% between 2012-2017, with Universal Credit being one of the key drivers in people seeking advice.
This follows Tom meeting with The Trussell Trust recently to discuss their work, and the increased demand on food banks in areas which have seen Universal Credit rolled out.
Commenting on the issue, Tom said,
“The problems with Universal Credit have been well documented for years, will the full roll-out being delayed and pushed back time and time again for a welfare plan that has been beset by problems from the start.
“The SNP, along with charities such as Child Poverty Action Group, Citizens Advice Scotland and Oxfam amongst others have long argued against the flawed implementationof this system that often leaves the most vulnerable without.
“This is clearly a case of ideology before pragmatism, with the Tories stating that Universal Credit makes work pay – but they clearly fail to address the number of households on universal credit who find themselves in in-work poverty as a consequence of benefit delays and Tory failure to implement a real living wage.
“For the Tories to claim that Universal Credit is a good benefit and the right thing to do denies the reality of thousands across the country who have been left worse of as a result of this system, and shows how out of touch they are with the realities of families that live paycheck to paycheck.”