While Croydon Labour plans on cuts of up to £29 per week in Council Tax benefits for tens of thousands of the poorest households in the borough, the party’s politicians at City Hall have been describing the Tory government’s £25 per week cut to the Universal Credit uplift as “callous”.

Almost 1million Londoners claim Universal Credit; around two-fifths of claimants in the capital are in employment, according to Labour’s London Assembly economy spokesperson, Marina Ahmad.

“These figures give a hint of the scale of the impact of the government’s callous and short-sighted cut to Universal Credit on low-income Londoners,” said Ahmad.

“It has come at the worst possible time of rising energy bills and food prices and the furlough scheme ending. To top this off, we also have the increase in National Insurance contributions on the horizon.

Marina Ahmad AM: cuts happening at the worst possible time

“For many households in the capital, the extra £20 a week is the difference between putting enough food on the table and putting the heating on as winter sets in.

“You simply can’t build an economic recovery on levelling down almost 1million Londoners.

“What we urgently need to see now is a boost to the minimum wage so it is level with the real London Living Wage of £10.85 per hour and a more robust safety net.

“Ministers must U-turn on the cut to Universal Credit and reform the way it works, whilst increasing Local Housing Allowance to cover average rents.”

Read more: Cynical, hypocritical and devious: benefit cut to hit thousands
Read more: Labour wants to cut voluntary sector funding by a ‘full Negrini’
Read more: Further £38.4m to be sliced from next year’s council budget

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