ALBA Party Demand Benefits are Increased at Rate of Inflation

ALBA PARTY has demanded that the UK Government do not throw the country’s benefit recipients under the bus by failing to implement a promised increase of 10%. 

At Prime Ministers Questions, today, Liz Truss confirmed that her Government would maintain the triple lock on pensions. 

This follows weeks of uncertainty over the policy. However, the Prime Minister refused to commit to increasing other benefits. 

Benefits like the State Pension, Universal Credit and legacy entitlements such as Disability Support and Jobseeker's Allowance go up every April in line with inflation the previous September.

This means that based on estimated inflation levels for this month, recipients will see around a 10% uplift next April. 

Speaking at the end of May, this year, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged that the UK Government would honour this increase. He said: 

"None of us know what energy prices are going to be next year. But what I can tell you now and what people should be reassured by is the way our system works, benefits and pensions likely, subject to a review which has to happen legally, they are likely to go up by quite a significant amount because the inflation rate that decides that is set in September."

Now ALBA Party Westminster leader Neale Hanvey MP has demanded that the UK Government do not “throw under the bus” the many of the countries lowest income households hat receive benefits by failing to stick to its pledge to maintain an inflationary rise. 

Commenting ALBA Party Westminster Leader Neale Hanvey MP said: 

“Scotland has over one million pensioners, over 400,000 receive Universal Credit and thousands more rely on legacy benefits. It is welcome that the Government have finally answered our call to commit to the Triple lock on pensions. If the Prime Minister reneges on this then she must be sacked on the spot by parliament. 

“However, it would be a complete betrayal by the Tory Westminster Government if they failed to honour their pledge of not just increasing state pensions pension, but also benefit increases that matched the rate of inflation. 

“The Tories are destroying the economy, it would be a complete kick in the teeth to some of the lowest income households in Scotland if they were to face a drastic real terms cut because the UK Government choose to throw them under the bus because of the economic chaos the Prime Minister has created. 

“It is simply unacceptable to rob the benefits of millions of Scots at a time when many are facing destitution. ALBA Party demand that the Tories immediately confirm that they will increase benefits in line with inflation.”