Kirkcaldy MP slams £20 weekly cut to Universal Credit

Mr Hanvey, who also represents Cowdenbeath, is adding to the mounting pressure on the UK government to scrap the planned cut, following new analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showing that families in his constituency will be some of the worst affected in Scotland.

Outside of Glasgow, only Dundee West and Glenrothes will be hit harder.

Scheduled for October 6, the planned cut will be the biggest overnight reduction in the basic rate of social security since the foundation of the modern welfare state and will impact around 5.5 million families across the UK.

The local MP has been an outspoken critic of the UK government’s approach to social security, calling repeatedly for existing benefits to be replaced with a Universal Basic Income.

Mr Hanvey said: “This is a completely unnecessary cut at the very worst time. There is still a global pandemic going on which has seen many people in my constituency face reduced hours at work, pay cuts, furlough and even redundancy.

“Over ten thousand working-age families in the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Constituency will see £1,040-a-year cut to their incomes. It beggars belief that anyone could think this acceptable at any time, let alone during a pandemic.”

He added: “The UK government must do the right thing and scrap these ridiculous plans that are cruel, unnecessary and will push Fifers into poverty overnight.”

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