7 October 2021
Motion
There are 29,117 families in Medway on Universal Credit who over the last few weeks have received the devastating news that as of 6th October they will be £20 a week worse off. The families cite excessive housing costs as the main reason for their claim followed closely by being unable to provide adequately for their children. In both cases, many of the families are working or seeking work.
The cut to Universal Credit is indefensible because it is socially divisive and economically short sighted. Charities warn it will push thousands of families into poverty, exacerbated by rising household energy costs. Business leaders say it will make it harder for local businesses to recover from losses during the pandemic because UC claimants will have even less to spend. Furthermore, there are plans to restart the migration to Universal Credit from legacy benefits which will reduce incomes for another group of vulnerable people. In September, while the Prime Minister was in the United States, he defended the cuts to reporters, yet refused repeatedly to say whether he could live on the basic Universal Credit payment of £118 a week.
This Council recognises the damaging impact of the cuts to Universal Credit and resolves to write to the Prime Minister and the three Medway MPs calling on them to reinstate the payments and by doing so show our support for families in Medway and local businesses who are facing hardship this winter.
On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.
Vote Result
| Votes in Favour | 15 | |
| Votes Against | 25 | |
| Absentees | 15 |
Votes in Favour
The following councillors voted in favour of the motion:
Votes Against
The following councillors voted against the motion:
Absentees
The following councillors were absent from the vote: