Welfare change in London

Joanne McCartney AM moved, and Dr Onkar Sahota AM AM seconded, the following motion:

“This Assembly would like to put on record its continued concerns regarding the Government’s welfare changes and the impact that these policies, such as Universal Credit, the benefit cap and Personal Independence Payment are having on Londoners.

Analysis commissioned by the Mayor of London highlighted that London’s poorest households are hardest hit by tax and welfare changes and that by 2021/22, an extra 75,000 London children will be living in poverty. These changes hit women, disabled Londoners, single parents and black Londoners the hardest.

The analysis also shows that the overall loss of income through changes to benefits and tax credits is not offset by the recent changes to Universal Credit and increases to the National Living Wage.

This Assembly calls for the Chair to write a letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey MP, on behalf of the Assembly, to express their concern on the impact that the Government’s welfare policies are having on London, and urge the Minister to put an end to the most punitive welfare changes.”

Following debate, and upon being put to the vote, the motion was agreed (11 votes cast in favour, 7 votes cast against).