Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan has called on the Government at Westminster to review its proposed major changes and reductions to the Work Allowance element of Universal Credit.   

Danny Kinahan MP said:

“The Ulster Unionist Party believes that work should always pay and we do agree that the current welfare system is in need of major reform, not least because it traps far too many people in a vicious circle of welfare dependency. However those who will be most negatively impacted by these specific proposals are workers on low wages.

“In reforming the current system the Government has continued to underestimate the impact that their specific proposals will have on those families already in low paid employment. Whilst I welcomed their U-turn on Working Tax Credits last year, I remain deeply concerned that other changes proposed will have a negative impact on working families.

“For instance, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated that 2.6 million working families across the United Kingdom will be an average of £1,600 a year worse off under Universal Credit than they would have been under the current system; a greater number than the total number of people likely to benefit.

“Many families with members in low paid employment still rely on limited social security support in order to assist them in their daily lives. Instead of supporting families to take on longer hours or moving to better paid jobs, I believe the major changes to the Work Allowance element of Universal Credit will in fact destroy the incentive to work for millions of low-paid people.

“I would urge the Government to reverse these planned changes in order to avoid hurting thousands of low paid working families.”