Wera Hobhouse MP Liberal Democrat MP for Bath

Bath MP Wera Hobhouse joins calls for fair uplift in pension and benefits

By Office of Wera Hobhouse, Mar 02, 2022 12:03

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to rethink the decision to uprate social security and pensions by just 3.1% - an increase which amounts to less than half of the expected increase to the cost of living.

The calls come as part of a letter signed by all Liberal Democrat MPs and sent to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey. The MPs outline how the small rise will be catastrophic for a great number of people, both in their constituencies and around the United Kingdom. 

In Bath, 5,487 households were relying on Universal Credit in November 2021. In April, with living costs increasing at twice the rate of benefits, the value of their Universal Credit will fall by £570 a year – affecting over 6,000 families receiving UC.

Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Wera Hobhouse said:

"My constituents in Bath are facing the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation, with spiralling energy bills and increasing costs on items like food, clothing and fuel. By uprating pensions and benefits by just 3.2%, anyone receiving either a pension or benefits such as Universal Credit is facing a real-terms cut in their income. 
"Families are still reeling from the £20 cut to Universal Credit made by the Government last December as it is. This additional £570 a year hit will therefore be a real kick in the teeth, particularly as this callous Government is outrageously writing off billions in stolen Covid payments and crooked PPE contracts while taking money out of peoples’ pockets.

“Ministers must reverse this decision and bring forward a rise in benefits and pensions in line with April’s inflation figure, so that people in Bath do not have to choose between heating and eating.”

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