A WEYMOUTH homeless charity said people are 'barely living above the breadline' as the Government prepares to end the Universal Credit uplift - a move which campaigners say will hit the poorest people in society.

Universal Credit (UC) was increased by £20 per week at the start of the pandemic, but this will end at the beginning of October.

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Dorset Echo:

Campaigners say the uplift has provided a lifeline for families and taking it way would be disastrous.

It comes as the Trussell Trust publishes a survey laying bare the impact that a £20-a-week cut will have for people living in the region.

It found that one in five people currently claiming UC in the south west - representing 91,000 people - say they are 'very likely' to need to skip meals when the cut hits.

Furthermore, a quarter of people told researchers they would struggle to heat their homes this winter if their income is slashed in October.

Dorset Echo:

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A spokesman from Weymouth homeless charity Julian House, said: "People who rely on Universal Credit - the monies that they receive mean they're living barely above the breadline.

"The £20 extra payment during the pandemic did not mean that they could afford any luxuries - rather it meant that they could eat properly and not increase their debt pile.

"Julian House believes incorporating the £20 payment into the basic Universal Credit scheme is a move which will help some of the most disadvantaged members of society."

According to the Trussell Trust, 65,000 people in the region say they will need to use a food bank if the cut goes ahead.

The trust says removing the uplift will be the biggest overnight cut to social security since the Second World War and will be a huge blow for thousands of families both in and out of work.

The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of more than 1,300 food bank centres.

Its chief executive Emma Revie said: "Cutting this lifeline will be a devastating blow for thousands of people across the south west already struggling to make ends meet.

"This research reveals the shocking consequences of what lies ahead if this lifeline is cut in October. No one should have to suffer the indignity of not being able to afford the essentials in life – like food or heating. That’s why we’re saying it would be wrong of the UK government to take away £20 a week from already precarious incomes and push even more people through the doors of food banks."

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