Southend Foodbank representatives Cass Francis and Jemma Walsh recently made a trip to Westminster to meet with Southend’s MPs, David Burton-Sampson and Bayo Alaba, during Trussell’s national Lobby Day. The purpose of their visit was to discuss the growing hardships faced by individuals on low incomes and to advocate for the Guarantee Our Essentials campaign, led by Trussell and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF).
During their visit, Cass and Jemma highlighted the need for an independent review to determine the true cost of covering life’s essentials in the UK. Currently, the basic rate of Universal Credit has no link to actual living costs (excluding rent and council tax) and falls far short of what is necessary for individuals to survive. This issue was also raised by the cross-party Work and Pensions Committee, which found that despite recent increases, the amount being spent on benefits for working-aged people remains the same as it was in 2007.
In light of this, Cass and Jemma urged MPs to support increasing the basic rate of Universal Credit to £120 per week for a single adult and £205 per week for a couple. They also expressed concerns about deductions from Universal Credit payments and emphasized the importance of a Minimum Income Floor – a limit on how much the government can deduct from payments. While the maximum deduction rate has recently been reduced from 25% to 15%, Southend Foodbank believes that further action is necessary and aligns with evidence from an independent review.
In response to the upcoming second reading in parliament for the UC & PIP Bill, Cass Francis, Comms & Campaigns Coordinator at Southend Foodbank, stated, “It was a privilege to speak face to face with both of Southend’s MPs and hear their thoughts on the Essentials Guarantee. No one should be forced to go without the basics they need to survive, and Universal Credit must reflect the true cost of living.”
Francis further expressed concerns about the proposed £5 billion in welfare cuts aimed at benefits received by individuals with disabilities, stating that these cuts will have a devastating impact on those affected and could potentially drive more individuals to seek assistance from food banks like theirs.
Southend Foodbank, Trussell, JRF, and other organizations are urging individuals to write or email their MPs and ask them to vote against these proposed reforms. Trussell’s analysis shows that 440,000 disabled people and their families will be forced into severe hardship by these cuts.
