Councillor Terry to move:

This Council notes that:

• The Government has ended the £20 uplift in universal credit (UC)

• On 2 September 2021, 100 organisations across the UK joined together in urging the Government not to go ahead with this cut, making it clear that even before Covid, a decade of cuts and freezes had left it (UC) unfit to provide the support families need (see https://www.jrf.org.uk/press/keep-the-lifeline-open-letter-to-the-prime-minister).

• Since then the cost of living rises, potential food supply problems, rises in energy costs and the increase in National Insurance contributions will make life even harder for the many people in work who rely on UC as well as for the many for whom work is not a choice because of illness, disability and caring responsibilities. The choice will be to eat or heat among the many miserable choices this cut and decades of austerity will force people to make.

• The number of children in poverty will significantly increase with figures quoted ranging from 200,000 to 290,000 on top of the 4.2 million children already living in poverty

This Council believes that:

• It is unacceptable that being in work does not enable people and families to be able to afford the basics and have a decent standard of life

• It is unacceptable that UC does not provide people who do not have the choice to work with enough to keep them out of poverty and have a decent standard of life

• The future of the country is negatively affected when so many children are living in poverty given the potential harm that this is likely to cause their health, well-being and economic potential

Consequently, this Council resolves to:

• Require the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to convey our concern around the impact of the cut on Reading’s residents and request the reinstatement of the £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit.

Call on all employers across the town and beyond to accept their responsibility to pay a real living wage (currently £9.50 UK and £10.85 London, as defined by the Living Wage Foundation) as opposed to the Government’s so-called national living wage of £8.91.

Pursuant to Notice, a motion was moved by Councillor Terry and seconded by Councillor Mpofu-Coles and CARRIED as set out in the resolution below.

The following amendment was moved by Councillor White and seconded by Councillor J Williams and LOST:

‘Add the following wording to the end of the original motion:

“A report on Reading employers and the real Living Wage will be brought back to a future Policy Committee detailing the current situation and how the Council can work with Reading UK CIC, Reading BID and other organisations and employers to increase the number of employers paying at least the real Living Wage.”’

Resolved -

This Council notes that:

·       The Government has ended the £20 uplift in universal credit (UC)

·       On 2 September 2021, 100 organisations across the UK joined together in urging the Government not to go ahead with this cut, making it clear that even before Covid, a decade of cuts and freezes had left it (UC) unfit to provide the support families need (see https://www.jrf.org.uk/press/keep-the-lifeline-open-letter-to-the-prime-minister).

·       Since then the cost of living rises, potential food supply problems, rises in energy costs and the increase in National Insurance contributions will make life even harder for the many people in work who rely on UC as well as for the many for whom work is not a choice because of illness, disability and caring responsibilities. The choice will be to eat or heat among the many miserable choices this cut and decades of austerity will force people to make.

·       The number of children in poverty will significantly increase with figures quoted ranging from 200,000 to 290,000 on top of the 4.2 million children already living in poverty

This Council believes that:

·       It is unacceptable that being in work does not enable people and families to be able to afford the basics and have a decent standard of life

·       It is unacceptable that UC does not provide people who do not have the choice to work with enough to keep them out of poverty and have a decent standard of life

·       The future of the country is negatively affected when so many children are living in poverty given the potential harm that this is likely to cause their health, well-being and economic potential

Consequently, this Council resolves to:

·       Require the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to convey our concern around the impact of the cut on Reading’s residents and request the reinstatement of the £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit.

Call on all employers across the town and beyond to accept their responsibility to pay a real living wage (currently £9.50 UK and £10.85 London, as defined by the Living Wage Foundation) as opposed to the Government’s so-called national living wage of £8.91.