People on Universal Credit could see their monthly payments increase by as much as £52 after the Government makes its Autumn Statement next week.
The Department For Work and Pensions ( DWP ) is expected to increase benefit payments including Universal Credit by 10.1% in line with inflation when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sets out the Autumn Statement on 17 November. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the Government faces "difficult decisions" amid economic turmoil in the aftermath of the mini-Budget, but the PM is expected to bow to pressure to raise benefits amid the cost of living crisis, The Mirror reports.
Claimants have been increasingly worried that their benefits could see a real-terms cut, with Number 10 refusing to commit to a rise in line with inflation after Boris Johnson previously promised that he would do so when was Prime Minister earlier this year. Campaigners say a 10.1% rise for 5.6 million Universal Credit claimants would be long overdue, given that the benefit only rose 3.1% in April.
