PM and Chancellor must end anxiety of millions over universal credit, pensions and benefits

Commenting on today’s (Wednesday) inflation figures, which show CPI inflation at 10.1% and food inflation at 14.8%, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“With inflation still running high, the government must make sure that every family can afford to put food on the table and keep warm this winter.

“But millions of people are already skipping meals and turning off the heating. Yet the Prime Minister and Chancellor still refuse to confirm that universal credit, pensions and benefits will keep up with inflation.

“It is no wonder so many working people are seeking higher wages and taking action to win fair pay deals.”

Cost of living poll

The inflation figures follow the publication today by the TUC of a major new poll showing the impact of the cost of living emergency on people.

The findings of the poll include:

  • 1 in 7 (14%) people across the UK are having to skip meals or go without food to make ends meet.
  • Over half (55%) of the population are cutting back on heating, hot water or electricity.
  • 1 in 12 (8%) of those polled report missing a payment of a household bill.
  • Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) people back raising the minimum wage to £15 an hour.

Further figures from the poll are here: www.tuc.org.uk/news/1-7-skipping-meals-and-going-without-food-tuc-mega-poll-reveals

Action needed on cost of living and threat of recession

The TUC says that to protect families from the surging cost of living, and to protect against a spending slump causing a steeper slide into recession, the government must:

  • Stick to plans to uprate universal credit, benefits and pensions in line with inflation, and bring forward this uprating to before April. This must be the first step on a route to higher levels of universal credit, benefits and pensions.
  • Impose a much higher windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
  • Get pay rising across the economy by backing trade unions and allowing unions to negotiate pay rises across whole sectors.
  • Give key workers in the public sector cost-of-living proofed pay rises.
  • Raise the minimum wage to £15 an hour as soon as possible.