Universal Credit cut: 'Starvation a very real possibility' for Flintshire and Wrexham residents

This is the prospect facing hundreds of families in Flintshire and Wrexham now the £20-a-week Universal Credit (UC) uplift has been ended - the “biggest overnight cut to social security since the Second World War”.

Charities and organisations across the area are warning of the devastating impact this is likely to have on poverty and homelessness rates.

But behind every statistic, there is a human being – a child, single mum, someone with learning disabilities.

The most vulnerable people in our society are the ones who will be literally feeling the pinch – as they sit in freezing homes they’re unable to heat.

Here we look at what it’s like being in poverty for the people who experience it on a day to day basis – and the impact the UC cut is going to have on them.

One person, who is currently homeless and sofa surfing in the Flintshire area, said: “The extra £20 was an absolute god-send – it might not sound like much but it is literally the difference between choosing to eat or turn on the heating.

“Yes the government said it was always going to be a temporary measure, but things have changed massively over recent months. Food and energy prices are going up and up – I am in store for a very, very hard winter.

“I have £10 a day to live on – I’m used to hunger pains but now starvation is a very really possibility.”

Another person, living in the Shotton area of Deeside, told the Leader: “It is not just the cut in UC – energy prices and the cost of shopping has gone up, too.

“My £40 per week bills are set to rise and the extra £20-a-week would have been the difference between eating and having heating, rather than just one of those two things.”

She was left unable to work after a car accident a number of years ago.

She said: "All we are told is to go and look for work – but I can’t, I really wish I could.”

We visited Wrexham Foodbank to hear about the strain the UC cut will have on foodbank services.

Wrexham Foodbank said it is “deeply concerned” about the impact it will have on local people’s ability to afford the essentials.

The charity is backing calls from organisations across the country for the UK government to reinstate £20 a week to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits ahead of the spending review in late October.

Sally Ellinson, Foodbank Manager of Wrexham Foodbank, said: “We know what a difficult time this is for many people in Wrexham If you are struggling to afford the basics, we will do everything we can to provide support through food, toiletries and local signposting.

“But charities shouldn’t need to provide emergency food because people don’t have enough money for something as vital as food. Everyone in our community should have enough money for the essentials.

“The UK government must choose to protect people when they need support, not cut them adrift. That’s why we’re backing calls for them to urgently reinstate £20 a week to Universal Credit. Social security must be strong enough for all of us to rely on when we need a lifeline – because, as the pandemic has shown us, life is full of things we can’t plan for.”

For context on the number of people in Wrexham that could be affected, Wrexham Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust’s network, provided 7,007 emergency food parcels to local people in Wrexham between April 2020 and March 2021. Of this number, 2,602 went to children.

Sally Ellinson, project manager of Wrexham Foodbank, discusses the impact of the Universal Credit cut: 

Sally said that one lady she knows through a foodbank referral is a student, and has attempted to budget for the UC cut.

She has found that she has been left with the choice of buying food or heating her home.

Flintshire Council has issued a stark warning about the reality of the situation for many residents whose UC has been cut.

Neal Cockerton, the council’s chief officer for housing and assets, said: “Data demonstrates that the council is expecting to see negative impacts and there is a real risk that more people in Flintshire will fall into fuel poverty; food poverty and rent arrears.

“The UK Government’s decision will present a challenging financial position for local residents and the council. Arrangements have been put in place with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure referrals from the Job Centre Plus to local support agencies including our Welfare Reform Team.

“I encourage residents who may be affected to seek support from local agencies and the Welfare Reform Team.”

The statistics:

According to the latest available figures, 42 per cent of Flintshire residents that are set to see their benefits drop are families with children and 40 per cent are already in work.

Citizens Advice Flintshire has supported over 1,000 people with Universal Credit since March last year.

It says the £20 a week increase has been a ‘lifeline’ and has supported people who were already struggling before the pandemic as well as those hit by Covid job losses.

Stewart Whyte, a benefits adviser at Citizens Advice Flintshire, said: “During the pandemic, many have lost jobs through no fault of their own and are still struggling to find work.”

“The increase of £20 a week is absolutely essential for them to budget each month.”

Salli Edwards, chief executive officer of Citizens Advice Flintshire, said: “It’s what has helped them keep their heads above water. A lot of people have had their lives turned upside down by this pandemic.

“Many have never needed support from the benefits system before, whilst others were already on a financial cliff edge going into the crisis.

“As we look to rebuild from Covid, we urge the UK government to keep this absolutely vital lifeline”.

The graph below shows the number of households in Flintshire and Wrexham which are in receipt of Universal Credit, by month: 

But what can be done to soften the blow?

An estimated 5,000 people in North Wales are to benefit from a £476,000 grant to help tackle poverty in the wake of the UC cut.

Funded through the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme, the grant will help social housing provider ClwydAlyn, in partnership with Warm Wales and TGP Cymru, to deliver energy advice and support to communities during the next two years.

ClwydAlyn chief executive, Clare Budden said: “This is fantastic news for our residents and will make a real difference to people’s homes and lives.”

Foodbanks provide emergency help to families in need, but this is not a measure that can be relied on long term.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We’ve always been clear that the uplift to Universal Credit was temporary.

“It was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic, and it has done so.

“Universal Credit will continue to provide vital support for those both in and out of work and it’s right that the Government should focus on our Plan for Jobs, supporting people back into work and supporting those already employed to progress and earn more.”

Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton was approached for comment on the matter.