This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Extend the suspension of the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to thousands of self-employed workers seeing a massive reduction in trade. For many, Universal Credit has been the only way to survive, and the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) has meant that their actual income has been used to calculate their payments.
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There are many self-employed who are still unable to fully return to work and are facing a benefits cliff-edge on the 13th November when the MIF is reinstated. The reinstatement will lead to many losing their Universal Credit payments entirely and therefore may be unable to afford the basic human needs of rent, food, heat, and bills over the winter months and beyond.
We ask that the MIF suspension is extended for 6 months in line with the new Winter Economic Plan.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Related activity
MPs to debate Work and Pensions Committee Report on the DWP’s response to the coronavirus outbreak
MPs will debate the Work and Pensions Committee Report on the DWP’s response to the coronavirus outbreak this Thursday 26 November in the main House of Commons Chamber. The subject of the debate has been determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
This will be a debate on a motion proposed by Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Committee, on which Members may vote at the end of the debate. It calls for the Government to take note of the report, and to increase relevant legacy benefits in line with increases to universal credit, to take steps to return people who have been inadvertently left worse off under universal credit compared with their previous benefits, and to suspend the no recourse to public funds visa condition for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak.
The debate will start in the afternoon, following the debate on the final report of Climate Assembly UK.
Read the report: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/1558/documents/14743/default/
Watch the debate: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/4a97645c-8b6c-4ccc-a267-b564dfeab638
Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/
Find out more about the Backbench Business Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/202/backbench-business-committee/
Budget 2021 - Universal Credit uplift extended
On Wednesday 3 March, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP presented the 2021 Budget, setting out the Government's plans for tax and spending over the next year.
The Budget included changes to Universal Credit, including an extension of the temporary £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance for a further six months.
The suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for self-employed Universal Credit claimants will also continue until the end of July 2021. The Government also announced a one-off payment of £500 to eligible Working Tax Credit claimants across the UK.
You can read a summary of the key measures announced in the Budget here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-2021-what-you-need-to-know
You can read the Chancellor's full Budget Speech to the House of Commons here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/budget-speech-2021
Who is the Chancellor?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the Government Minister in charge of the Government's tax and spending decisions. They are appointed by the Prime Minister and are one of the most senior Government Ministers.
Find out more about the role and the current Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP:
https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/chancellor-of-the-exchequer
What is the Budget?
The Budget is a statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, updating MPs on how much the Government is spending, borrowing, and receiving from taxation. The Budget usually happens once per year.
The Budget is also when the Chancellor announces changes to tax and Government spending. This means the Budget is often used to announce new Government policies or changes to existing policies.
Find out more about Parliament's role in scrutinising the Budget:
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/role/check-and-approve-government-spending-and-taxation/the-budget-and-parliament/