Universal credit payments are set to increase from April next year, the DWP has confirmed.
The benefits rise annually to keep in line with rising living costs, alongside the likes of personal independence payments and housing benefit.
It comes amid findings from the University of Sussex Business School which claimed the introduction of Universal Credit “imposed large societal costs”.
With inflation already over 9 per cent, millions of Universal Credit recipients are having to make their monthly payments stretch further and further, with some parents skipping meals to feed their children.
Even with the one-off cost of living payment, the rising cost of gas, petrol and goods on the supermarket shelf is already making life difficult for many.
Despite this a Minister at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed an increase of Universal Credit payments will not be confirmed until November.
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Parliamentary under-Secretary for the DWP David Rutley MP was responding to a written question asking the government to review benefit payments, with the energy price cap in mind.
Currently at an eye-watering maximum of £1,971 per year, the price cap could increase to £3000 by October, Martin Lewis has recently warned.
MP David Rutley said in response that the DWP Secretary is "required to undertake an annual statutory review of benefits and pensions" but there were no plans to bring the review forward, "her review will commence in the autumn and her decisions will be announced to Parliament in November in the normal way."
The Macclesfield MP also confirmed that this increase would be either in line with inflation, earnings, or maybe higher than either. He said: "The Secretary of State must increase certain benefits by at least the increase in prices or earnings.
"If she considers it appropriate, having regard to the national economic situation and any other matters which she considers relevant, she may increase others by such a percentage(s) as she thinks fit."
This article has been amended on July 25 because we incorrectly stated that an increase to benefits would come in from November 2022, when actually this is when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirms the new rates for the following April.
