One in three people will be living in hardship by May even if the Universal Credit boost is extended, a report warns. The New Economics Foundation says that 21.7 million people will not have a decent standard of living, even if Rishi Sunak extends the £20-a-week uplift for six months in Wednesday’s Budget, as expected. Sarah Arnold, NEF senior economist, said it was time to implement a Living Income to “ensure people have enough to live, not just survive”. Are you struggling on Universal Credit? But the Shadow Chancellor stopped short of saying it should be kept in perpetuity - arguing “radical reform” is needed instead.

Source: Daily Mirror February 28, 2021 22:30 UTC