UK Charities Urge Gov't To Protect Poverty-Stricken Britons From No-Deal Brexit - Letter

Sumaira FH Published February 15, 2019 | 06:12 PM

Ten UK charities signed an open letter to the UK government on Friday, calling on the authorities to develop measures that would protect Britons struggling with poverty in the event the United Kingdom exits the European Union without a deal

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2019) Ten UK charities signed an open letter to the UK government on Friday, calling on the authorities to develop measures that would protect Britons struggling with poverty in the event the United Kingdom exits the European Union without a deal.

"There is widespread agreement that some level of economic and social disruption will follow Brexit, at least in the short term, and worst of all under a 'no deal' scenario. Low-income families will be worst affected ... We need a new deal for low-income families to cushion the blow," the letter, published on the official website of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation charity, one of the signatories to the letter, said.

The charities suggested that the government should unfreeze the tax credits and benefits for people of working age they were frozen back in 2016 for three years and reduce the waiting time for people who apply for the so-called Universal Credit, a benefit payment for people who earn a low income or are unemployed, from five weeks to two.

The charities also urged the government to reserve funding to support jobs in parts of the country that have been struggling with high poverty rates and risk becoming the most affected in case Brexit entails trade disruptions.

"We believe these are appropriate and just measures. It is incumbent on the Government to protect struggling families in their contingency planning. We would urge you to make these representations in your meetings with Ministers in the coming days," the letter added.

According to Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 14 million people live in poverty in the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union on March 29, but UK Prime Minister Theresa May has so far failed to secure the parliament's approval for the divorce agreement negotiated with Brussels, which could potentially lead to a no-deal Brexit.