At its meeting on 4th November, East Dunbartonshire Council resolved as follows:
“Notes the decision by the UK Government to withdraw the £20 per week uplift, cutting £1040 per year from recipients of Universal Credit & Working Tax Credits, directly impacting over 5800 East Dunbartonshire families, and pushing families and children across the country into poverty;
Notes analysis by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that the combined effect of the cut in Universal Credit, the recent National Insurance rise, and increases in energy prices and living costs, could leave a typical low-income family up to £1750 per year worse off;
Acknowledges the additional pressures and demands on local 3rd sector organisations, including EDCAB, whose service users had already reported debts of almost £1.8m over a six month period, compared to £0.7m for the same period last year;
Endorses the cross-party vote in the Scottish Parliament on 28th September, adds our voice to those of the Governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and joins the more than 100 organisations, including JRF, Child Poverty Action Group, Citizens Advice Scotland, Crisis, One Parent Families Scotland, The Poverty Alliance, and the Robertson Trust, in condemning the cut as an attack on those most in need; and
Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government in the terms of this motion, setting out the impact of the cut on the residents of East Dunbartonshire and calling for it to be reversed, and invites group leaders and the independent member to add their signatures.
Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish Government setting out the impact of the cut on the residents of East Dunbartonshire and to ask what they can do to help mitigate the impact of the withdrawal on the £20 uplift.”
As instructed, this was communicated to the UK Government and the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government’s response is appended for Members’ information.