Nine million low income families will be £500 a year worse off on average after the planned below-inflation increase in universal credit and other means-tested benefits are introduced in April, experts say.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said setting benefit rises at last September’s 3.1% level, when inflation is forecast to hit 7% by April, would result in widespread hardship, push 400,000 people into poverty, and ratchet up pressure on households hit by the cost of living crisis.
