Universal Credit Poverty Reduction 2020-10-19
2020-10-19
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Statistics from 2018-19 show lower rates and numbers of people in absolute poverty compared to 2010. However, the question challenges this assessment.
What assessment has she made of the effectiveness of universal credit in reducing levels of poverty?
The latest statistics from 2018-19 show that the rates and numbers of people in absolute poverty were lower than in 2010. Since those statistics were published, we have injected a further £9.3 billion into our welfare system, including an increase to universal credit of up to £1,040 for this financial year.
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Assessment & feedback
The questioner challenged the effectiveness of Universal Credit in reducing poverty, but the response only highlighted positive statistics and funding without directly addressing its efficacy.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Scotland has the lowest child poverty rates due to efforts by the Scottish government, but 4,600 children in Alan Brown's constituency are estimated to be living in poverty because of UK government policies.
The reality is that £9.3 billion and an increase of up to £1,040 for universal credit does not address child poverty adequately. The Scottish Government has mitigated the worst impacts of austerity but 4,600 children in my constituency are estimated to be living in poverty, which is shameful. Will the Minister listen to calls from the End Child Poverty coalition and Macmillan Cancer Support to keep the £20 a week universal credit uplift to avoid putting more families and children into poverty?
One child in poverty is one child too many. We at the Department are continuing to work with Her Majesty's Treasury and other Government Departments to monitor the evolving economic and labour market situation and identify the most effective ways to help people stay in or close to work, both now and in future. It is important to stress that Her Majesty's Treasury published a distributional analysis that assessed the impact of covid-19 on incomes compared with the incomes of working households in May 2020. That analysis showed that the Government's interventions have supported the poorest households the most.
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Assessment & feedback
The questioner asked specifically about keeping the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift, but the response avoided this by discussing general efforts and an unrelated distributional analysis.
Response accuracy