Progressive Catholic Church Metropolitan of UK calls for rethink of Universal Credit,

The Metropolitan Bishop of the United Kingdom Rt Reverend Dr Ryan Cleminson has urged the UK Government to halt the next phase of the rollout of the controversial universal credit benefit scheme after learning of a report published by the food bank charity The Trussell Trust.

In a policy statement released by the churches Bishops council the organisation said The Progressive Catholic Church notes with deep concern that Between 1st April 2017 and 31st March 2018, The Trussell Trust’s food-bank network distributed 1,332,952 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, a 13% increase on the previous year. 484,026 of these went to children.

This is a higher increase than the previous financial year, when food-bank use was up by 6.64%. For the first time, new national data highlights the growing proportion of food-bank referrals due to benefit levels not covering the costs of essentials, driving the increase in food-bank use overall.

Low income – benefits, not earning’ is the biggest single, and  fastest growing, reason for referral to a food-bank, with ‘low income’ accounting for 28% of referrals UK-wide compared to 26% in the previous year. Analysis of trends over time demonstrates it has significantly increased since April 2016, suggesting an urgent need to look at the adequacy of current benefit levels.

In todays society the Progressive Catholic Church believe people should not be having to choose between the cost of heating or eating and therefore we call upon the Governments of the richest nations to look at what more can be done to bring an end to the unequal austerity measures that are doing much damage to most vulnerable in society.

The Metropolitan Bishop Rt Reverend Dr Cleminson said “ I urge the Government to stop and consider as the changes will be driving more and more people into social and financial deprivation”.