FORMER Minister for Work and Pensions Ian Duncan Smith has stated that the £20 uplift to Universal Credit “has been essential in allowing people to live with dignity” (Former Tory ministers urge Sunak to make £20 Universal Credit uplift permanent’, Jul 5).
Not something they’ve “allowed” the 2.2 million people in receipt of the legacy benefits Jobseeker’s Allowance , Employment and Support Allowance (formerly Incapacity Benefit) and Income Support, many of whom were already experiencing financial difficulties prior to the pandemic, and who have since faced increased costs, yet have been denied the support afforded to those on Universal Credit (UC). Around three-quarters of those 2.2 million people denied the £20 uplift are people who are disabled or have a long-term health condition, the remainder being carers and unemployed people. And children are being impacted by this too, of course.
READ MORE: Tory ex-welfare ministers pile pressure on Rishi Sunak over Universal Credit plans
The UK Government has point-blank refused to extend the uplift – which amounts to £1040 over a year (more over the 18 months) – to the legacy benefits, despite repeated calls for them to do so over the past year. The result is that those in receipt of legacy benefits receive £20 per week less than those in similar circumstances who claim UC. The issue is now subject to a legal challenge by two claimants of income-related (means-tested) Employment and Support Allowance, who argue that the selective application of the uplift has discriminated against them as disabled people, in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights.
According to the charitable foundation Trust for London, UK Government ministers actually asked the DWP if the £20 uplift could only be paid to those who had made a claim for UC since the start of the pandemic; in other words, they didn’t want it to be given it to existing UC claimants. They were advised it wasn’t possible to do this, but if the Tories had had their way, no-one already claiming UC prior to the pandemic would have received the increase – the same thinking/prejudice/discrimination that’s been applied to those in receipt of legacy benefits. Presumably, some people are deemed less deserving of “dignity” than others.
I would urge all SNP MPs not to forget those in receipt of the legacy benefits and to continue to be vociferous in calling for the uplift to be extended to them, whenever they get the chance – please keep shining a light on this injustice.
Mo Maclean
Glasgow
THE photograph of the white puffin (Rare white puffin is seen on Scots island, Jul 2) brought back memories.
Back in the late 1950s the lapwing or peewit was a very common bird in these parts, and one summer a pure white albino one appeared along with a considerable number of normal-plumaged examples.
It could be seen most days on the same area of heather moorland although it did not ever appear to have a breeding mate in tow. It returned to the exact same location of about ten acres for eight years in succession before disappearing from the scene.
WATCH: 'Very' rare white puffin spotted on island off the coast of Sutherland
At that time there would be dozens of nesting pairs on our land, as compared to the present time when seeing a single pair in springtime is something of an event. There used to be always a number of nests on the fields being cultivated; when the tractor operating the machinery came to a nest, we dismounted and moved the nest – complete with eggs – a few feet to the side onto the area which had already been passed over by the machinery. The lapwings accepted this quite readily and returned to incubate their eggs within a matter of minutes. Interesting times.
George M Mitchell
Dunblane
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here