Six-month extension to Universal Credit uplift ‘kicks the can down the road’

Citizens Advice has responded to an announcement in today’s Budget that the £20-a-week increase to Universal Credit will be extended for six months.

Alistair Cromwell, Acting Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, says:

“It will be a huge relief for people on Universal Credit to not face a cut to their benefits next month. But with a challenging recovery ahead of us, this is a stopgap.

“A six-month extension kicks the can down the road, only to leave millions facing a financial cliff edge in the autumn. 

“We urge the government to think again. The Universal Credit uplift must be kept for at least a year to help people pick up the pieces from this crisis.”

Notes to editors

  1. Citizens Advice includes the national charity; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.

  2. Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and post. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.

  3. The Citizens Advice Witness Service provides free, independent support for prosecution and defence witnesses in every criminal court in England and Wales.

  4. Citizens Advice offers Pension Wise services at 500 locations in England and Wales.

  5. Citizens Advice’s services are free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to all regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  6. To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice, visit citizensadvice.org.uk

  7. For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 to talk in Welsh.

  8. We helped 2.6 million people face to face, by phone, email and webchat in 2017-18. For service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.

  9. Citizens Advice staff are supported by over 23,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 locations in England and Wales.