For immediate release:

OVER 100 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE HOUSEHOLDS SUBJECT TO CRUEL TORY BENEFIT CAP

Newly published figures have shown that over 100 South Lanarkshire households were subject to the ‘cruel’ Tory benefit cap.

These latest statistics show that 3,146 Scottish households had their Universal Credit capped up to November 2022. Since the cap was introduced, 26,858 households have been subjected to it.

The benefit cap limits the total amount of money someone can receive from all their benefits added together. If the total amount of benefit the applicant receives is more than the allowed rate, then their benefit will be reduced to that rate.

The benefit cap for a couple or a single parent and your children live with you is £1,666.67 per month. For single adults, the cap is £1,116.67

44 households were impacted in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, and 136 across South Lanarkshire.

Commenting, Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said:

“The benefit cap is one of the cruellest policies introduced by the UK Government which limits the support given to some of the lowest income households in the country.

“During a cost-of-living crisis made entirely by the Tories, you would think they should be giving a helping hand to households, but instead they are punishing them. The benefit cap has a profound effect on household budgets and forces people to food banks and further into a spiral of poverty.

“The Scottish Government is doing all it can within its limited powers to mitigate the benefit cap through Discretionary Housing Payments, as well as introducing benefits that are unique to Scotland such as the Scottish Child Payment.

“But we shouldn’t have to mitigate damaging Tory austerity nor should our efforts in tackling poverty be dragged backward – we need the powers of an independent country to better support those most in need.”

ENDS