Universal Credit cut hits 5.5million families with £440million wiped from incomes

A TOTAL of 5.5 million families have lost out on £1,000 a year after the government cut Universal Credit.

Research by the Joseph Rowntree Society found that millions of working-age families have been impacted by the end of the uplift – with £440 million wiped from incomes each month.

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The Universal Credit boost, which was introduced at the beginning to the pandemic, ended on October 6.

The benefit reduction will push half a million people into poverty, including 200,000 children, according to the charity.

It will have the most severe impact in Yorkshire and the Humber, the North East, North West and West Midlands – but the whole country will be affected.

Families with children have been hit by the cut, with 6 in 10 of all single-parent families in the UK to be impacted. 

Katie Schmuecker, deputy director of policy & partnerships at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said it was “the biggest ever overnight cut to social security”.

Families have already told how the payment reduction, coupled with the rising cost of living, will force them to choose between “heating or eating”.

Cayleigh Davies, a mum-of-two, said the extra money was very important to her and her two kids, who are 10 and 11.

Meanwhile, Ellie Carey and her husband Jack won’t have presents wrapped under the tree this Christmas due to the cut.

A single mum says she may take out credit cards to help her get by following the £20 cut to Universal Credit cut – leaving her facing debt.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk