New research has revealed the extent of the benefit cuts that will affect local residents following the recent Conservative Budget.
New analysis has estimated that in York:
The four year freeze on working age benefits means 31,000 York residents on working age benefits and their families will lose an average of £260 per year.
This includes 28,000 working people whose families will have to make up an average £280 shortfall per year in working tax credits. 740 York residents in the Employment and Support Allowance work related activity group, considered only temporarily too ill to work, will lose a further £30 per week as their allowance is brought down to the level of Jobseekers Allowance (for those unemployed but considered fit to work).
Other measures include:
- cutting the household benefit cap to £20,000
- limiting Child Tax Credit to 2 children for children born from April 2017
- ending automatic entitlement to housing benefit for 18-21 year olds
- limiting child tax credits to 2 children
- reducing the amount of tax credits anyone with an income of more than £3,300 can receive
Cllr Sheena Jackson, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Westfield, commented:
Cllr Sheena Jackson
“These measures will mean big reductions for the poorest residents in York, particularly those who are too ill to work and those in work but unable to make ends meet. It will often be the local council that will have to pick up the pieces when people have nowhere left to turn.
“It is not possible to address the deficit without looking at the welfare bill; however, these cuts will cause problems for many local residents in York.
“We’re now seeing the Tories jump at the chance to implement all those measures that the Lib Dems stopped them from doing in Government, forcing those already struggling to make ends meet to shoulder a £12bn saving.”