Fight for £20 more for claimants on legacy benefits
The government has extended the £20 uplift to Universal Credit for another six months but we know how callous and cruel it is not to apply it to legacy benefits, as explained in this short animation from Sheffield DPAC:
http://twitter.com/i/status/1364895702904692741
You can read DPAC’s report #20More4All – Why the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit must be applied to legacy benefits: testimonies, stats & facts here: https://dpac.uk.net/2021/03/20more4all-testimonies-stats-facts/
Why it’s important to take action
The government increased Universal Credit by £20 per week at the start of the pandemic, when nearly two million more claimants came onto the benefit, exposing the social security system to greater scrutiny.
Many claimants never got the £20 uplift in the first place. It was only applied to Universal Credit so those still on legacy benefits and not yet moved over to Universal Credit were missed out. Many of these are disabled and their living costs have been significantly higher as a result of the pandemic and needing to shield.
Out of work benefits in the UK are well below the amount needed for a decent standard of living. All benefits need to be significantly increased, not cut.
We need people to be properly supported in these difficult times. The benefits system needs a complete overhaul. The Universal Credit system doesn’t work – it has been proven be toxic and massively harmful.
As well as fighting for a permanent uplift – we must fight for it to be scrapped and replaced with a social security system that provides a genuine safety net for all that need it.
The free school meals saga shows that when people fight back the Tories can be pushed into U-turns.
We understand that many people are still unable to leave their homes and we are NOT asking anyone to put their lives at risk or to break social distancing guidelines.
We are asking people to do just whatever you can to build support for this issue and to let claimants know there is a fightback they can get involved with.
Ideas for what you can do to support the campaign
- Take and share selfies hashtags #20More4All
- Put up and share posters in support of the campaign. You can:
– make your own
– download a copy here: https://dpac.uk.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20More4All.pdf
- We are asking all our supporters to email your MP telling them why it is important to you that the uplift is extended to legacy benefits. You can find a template letter here: https://dpac.uk.net/2021/02/email-your-mp-to-call-for-20-uplift-to-stay-be-applied-to-legacy-benefits/ Please also email a copy to us at: 20More4All@gmail.com that we can send on the both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We want to deliver as many letters and expressions of concern on this issue as possible to before the Spring Budget on 3 March.
- Make your own banners for local banner drops that can be done without breaking social distancing guidelines.
- For those that can, go out and hold socially distanced protests.
- If you are a member of a union branch or a local campaign please ask them to support the campaign.
- Sign and share these petitions:
