RISHI Sunak didn’t announced any changes to Universal Credit or benefits in today’s Spring Statement.
The Chancellor had been urged to boost benefits to help households struggling with the cost of living crisis.
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It was suggested that he might slash the Universal Credit taper rate further, which would allow workers to keep more of their cash.
Campaigners had also asked the Chancellor to increase benefits in line with inflation, which today hit more than 6%.
However, benefits weren’t mentioned in Mr Sunak’s speech in the House of Commons this afternoon.
No new changes to Universal Credit or benefits were revealed in the Spring Statement documents.
However, the Treasury announced a further £12million in funding for HMRC to prevent tax credit fraud and improve Universal Credit transitions.
The Chancellor slashed 8p from the taper rate last year.
It meant almost half a million Brits in work and on benefits saw up to a £1,000 a year boost.
The taper is currently set at 55p for every pound that Universal Credit claimants earn over their work allowance.
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The Sun has long campaigned for this to be reduced to 50p.
The monthly Work Allowance is set at £293 if your Universal Credit includes Housing Support, and £515 if it doesn’t.
That’s the amount claimants can earn before the taper rate automatically kicks in.
Benefits are currently set to increase 3% in April, but inflation has now risen above 6%.
The Chancellor was also under pressure to bring the benefits increase in line with inflation, but he didn’t announce any changes today.
The Chancellor revealed his Spring Statement in the House of Commons today, including major changes to the tax system.
Mr Sunak announced that the earnings threshold at which people start paying National Insurance tax will be raised from £9,500 to £12,500.
It means hundreds of thousands of families will pay less – and some of the very lowest earners will dodge the extra charge altogether.
The move also brings the NI threshold into line with the point at which Brits start paying income tax, which stands at £12,500.
The health and social care levy – which will see National Insurance go up by 1.25 percentage points to pay for the NHS and social care – will still go ahead, he confirmed.
The government is also doubling the Household Support Fund to £1billion.
That means the schemes can be extended beyond the initial March 31 closing date.
Mr Sunak also announced a fuel duty cut of £3.30 a tank which will kick in tonight.
