New Universal Credit claimants will go hungry this Christmas

Children will go hungry and be made homeless this Christmas due to the government imposed time-lag before Universal Credit claimants receive their first payment, the Liberal Democrats have said. This follows a report by the Peabody Trust into Universal Credit that says 60,000 families will not receive payment this side of the Festive season. Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Stephen Lloyd MP said: “If the government doesn’t step in there will be families facing hunger and homelessness this Christmas, it is that simple. This will hit 40,000 children living in many of our most vulnerable households. “The government must reduce the cruel 42 day waiting time urgently, and use next week’s budget to lift the benefits freeze that is expected to push hundreds of thousands into poverty. If not, it will be painfully clear that the spirit of Scrooge is alive and well.”