Charities call for a Coronavirus Emergency Income Support Scheme

10 May 2020

Over 1.8 million people have applied for Universal Credit in recent weeks, and it is likely that more and more individuals and families are going to need to use food banks as the outbreak develops.

A new coalition of charities, including the Trussell Trust, IFAN, Child Poverty Action Group, Children's Society, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, StepChange, and Turn2us, is urging the government to provide a Coronavirus Emergency Income Support Scheme to help the nation weather the storm of this pandemic.
Read their joint letter to the Chancellor here.

Emma Revie - CEO the Trussell Trust said:

"The last few weeks have shown we must come together to protect each other against the unexpected. Like a tidal wave gathering pace, an economic crisis is sweeping towards us - but we don't all have lifeboats. It's not right that this has meant some of us don't have enough money for essentials and are being pushed to food banks. Now is the time to build on the foundations our government has laid. We need emergency measures to ensure people can makes ends meet during this crisis. We have the power to come together as a country and make sure support is there to stop any of us being swept into poverty during this emergency."

Together, we're calling for a Coronavirus Emergency Income Support Scheme that includes:

Increasing benefits that go to families to help with the costs of raising children
Extending the suspension of benefit deductions to cover Advance Payments
Lifting the benefit cap and two-child policy to ensure this support scheme benefits everyone
Ensuring local authorities in England can provide effective crisis support to individuals and families.

Food banks in the Trussell Trust network reported their busiest ever period in the last two weeks of March. They experienced an 81% increase in need for emergency food parcels, including 122% more parcels going to children compared to the same period last year - that's over 6,250 food parcels provided to people in crisis every day, with close to 3,000 parcels provided for children each day during the fortnight.

Ask your MP to back Coronavirus Income Support

The Coalition of Charities need MPs of all parties to back their call by writing to the Chancellor. Use their form to send your MP a message to let them know why you think the government needs to do more.

Ask your MP now

END

Over 1.8 million people have applied for Universal Credit in recent weeks, and it is likely that more and more individuals and families are going to need to use food banks as the outbreak develops.

Ask your MP to back Coronavirus Income Support

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