Thank you for contacting me about support for those in need over winter. I share your concerns for those on the lowest incomes in my constituency. Every citizen deserves to live in dignity and be able to have enough food, warmth, medical care, and credit to live happy and healthy lives.
I note your particular concerns about food bank usage, Universal Credit and support for disabled people. These are important issues this winter.
I welcomed that, according to statistics in the Family Resources Survey - most households in the UK were food secure in the financial year 2022-23, under the previous Government. This is on top of the fact that many households also had high food security (at around 83 per cent) or marginal household food security (seven per cent). This is compared to a minority of households which were food insecure, with low household food security at just five per cent and very low household food security also at five per cent. This means that most households, 90 per cent, had sufficient access to food to facilitate an active and healthy lifestyle.
Indeed, of all UK households surveyed, only 3.3 per cent had used a food bank in the last 12 months, and 1.4 per cent of all households in the last 30 days.
Regarding the Local Housing Allowance, I welcomed that, to support low-income households with increasing rent costs, the previous Government raised Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024. This was done to benefit 1.6 million low-income households by around £800 a year more on average in 2024-25. For those living in the social rented sector, maximum housing costs support is based on actual rent and eligible service charges less any deductions for under-occupation.
Regarding Universal Credit and the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), it is a decision for the Government to reform the WCA. I welcome, however, that benefits were increased by 6.7 per cent in April 2024, under the last Government, in line with inflation.
I further welcomed the last Government’s work to help people with the cost of living. Over 2023-24, the previous Government provided targeted support to the most vulnerable through Cost of Living Payments - paid to 8 million households on eligible means-tested-benefits, 8 million pensioner households and 6 million people on eligible disability benefits. I will continue to call on the Government to build on this extensive support offered across 2023-4 and support people across the UK who are in need.
Thank you again for contacting me.
Recently, I launched my Protect our Pensioners campaign to encourage the government to reverse its removal of the Winter Fuel Payment for our most vulnerable pensioners. On the 13th September I held a very successful protest to bring more focus and attention to this pressing issue. If you would like to join my campaign, you are welcome to do so by visiting here: https://www.grahamstuart.com/news/labour-votes-strip-pensioners-winter-fuel-payment-graham-vows-fight-it
You can be assured that I will continue to fight for the welfare of all my constituents.