Rugby Borough Council will ask the government for the temporary £20 Universal Credit boost to be made permanent

Rugby Borough Council is to write to the government calling for the temporary £20 Universal Credit boost is made permanent.

The call came from Cllr Barbara Brown (Lab, New Bilton) and was voted through at yesterday's [Tuesday] full council meeting.

Her notice of motion, which was seconded by Cllr Ish Mistry (Lab, New Bilton) asked: “The £20 weekly boost to Universal Credit is a lifeline that is keeping many individuals and families in Rugby afloat at this difficult time.

“The pandemic has caused immense economic pressure to those on a low income and if the £20 boost is withdrawn these people will sink below the poverty line.

“Because of the continuing and unprecedented economic pressure that Covid has caused for some of our residents, we urge Rugby Borough Council to write to central Government to demand that the £20 weekly boost to Universal Credit payment is retained.”

Cllr Brown told the meeting that the loss of that extra £20 would mean that 7,148 households in Rugby could face dire consequences.

She added: “A recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation into poverty states that it is changing its face in Britain since the start of the Covid crisis and people who have never made a claim in their lives are doing so now. These aren’t necessarily people out of work - the majority of claimants are now classified as working poor. We must keep that lifeline.”

Cllr Mistry added: “Failure to change the policy will trigger a spike in poverty not seen since the 1980s. Removing the increase now while the impact of the pandemic is still being keenly felt would plunge households including children into poverty.”

Cllr Jim Ellis (Lab, Newbold and Brownsover) urged all councillors to support the motion.

He added: “This is a cross-party position taken by a group of MPs in parliament. The situation around the £20-a-week is backed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation - a renowned research body who look specifically at the poverty indicators in our communities.”

The motion was approved by 22 votes to 12 with one abstention.