Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Working-age Social Security Benefits: Four-year Freeze

Monday 9 March 2020 · 1 question

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department has assessed that the four-year freeze on working-age social security benefits has contributed to a 1.7% increase in poverty levels.
  • Working age benefits and tax credits will be approximately 6% lower due to the freeze.
  • The Government announced that working age benefits will rise in line with inflation in the upcoming month.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kirsten Oswald SNP West Tyrone
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The benefit freeze on working-age social security benefits will end next month.

Question

What assessment has the Department made of the effect of the four-year freeze in working-age social security benefits on levels of poverty? A 1.7% increase in working age benefits does not make up for the damage caused by the four-year freeze; affected benefits and tax credits will be about 6% lower in 2020-21. If austerity was really over, the UK Government would be making up the shortfall.

Answer from Will Quince (Minister for Families, Children, Schools and Workforce)

As I have just said, the Government have already announced that working age benefits will rise in line with inflation next month. As the hon. Lady will know, the Secretary of State has a statutory obligation each autumn to conduct a review of pension and benefit rates for the following year. This review will begin in October for implementation in the following April.

Answered
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