DWP makes major Universal Credit change with UK households given £725 boost
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a £725 cash boost for individuals on Universal Credit as part of an annual income uplift. By 2029/30, the Universal Credit standard allowance for a single person aged 25 or over will permanently increase above inflation, equating to an extra £725 in cash terms.
Labour MP and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: "Our reforms are built on the principle of fairness, fixing a system that for too long has left people trapped in a cycle of dependence. We are giving extra support to millions of households across the country, while offering disabled people the chance to work without fear of the repercussions if things don't work out."
She believes: "These reforms will change the lives of people across the country, so they have a real chance for a better future."
Birmingham Live reports that the DWP said: "We are also putting disabled people at the heart of a ministerial review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment led by Disability Minister Stephen Timms and co-produced with disabled people, along with the organisations that represent them, experts, MPs and other stakeholders – making sure it is fair and fit for the future."
Detailing the consultation process, the DWP added: "We will be engaging widely over the summer to design the process for the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.
"These reforms are underpinned by a major investment in employment support for sick and disabled people - worth £3.8 billion over the Parliament.
"Funding will be brought forward for tailored employment, health and skills support to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into work as part of our Pathways to Work guarantee.
"This investment will accelerate the pace of new investments in employment support programmes, building on and learning from successes such as the Connect to Work programme, which are already rolling out to provide disabled people and people with health conditions with one-to-one support at the point when they feel ready to work."
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North Wales Chronicle
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The Independent
9 minutes ago
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Has Labour made any progress at all on irregular migration?
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Glasgow Times
39 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Tulip Siddiq has had no ‘official confirmation' of Bangladesh trial, say lawyers
The Labour MP is due to face corruption allegations in the country on August 11, according to media reports. In April, it was reported that Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had sought an arrest warrant over allegations that Ms Siddiq illegally received a 7,200 square feet plot of land in the country's capital, Dhaka. Ms Siddiq's aunt, Sheikh Hasina, served as prime minister of Bangladesh until she was ousted in the summer of 2024, since when she has been living in exile in India. A statement released by Ms Siddiq's lawyers attacked the 'longstanding politically motivated smear campaign'. 'For nearly a year now, the Bangladesh authorities have been making false allegations against Tulip Siddiq,' the statement said. 'Ms Siddiq has not been contacted or received any official communication from the court and does not and has never owned any plot of land in Purbachal. 'This longstanding politically motivated smear campaign has included repeated briefings to the media, a refusal to respond to formal legal correspondence, and a failure to seek any meeting with or question Ms Siddiq during the recent visit by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to the United Kingdom. Such conduct is wholly incompatible with the standards of a fair, lawful, and credible investigation. 'In light of these facts, it is now time for the Chief Adviser and the ACC to end this baseless and defamatory effort to damage Ms Siddiq's reputation and obstruct her work in public service.' Tulip Siddiq resigned from her ministerial job following an investigation into her links to her aunt's regime (Lauren Hurley/PA) A source close to Ms Siddiq said that media reports published on Thursday were the first she had heard of the trial. The Hampstead and Highgate MP resigned from her ministerial job in the Treasury earlier this year following an investigation by the Prime Minister's ethics adviser into her links to Ms Hasina's regime, which was overthrown last year. She came under scrutiny over her use of properties in London linked to her aunt's allies. Although Sir Laurie Magnus concluded that she had not breached the Ministerial Code, he advised Sir Keir Starmer to reconsider Ms Siddiq's responsibilities. Ms Siddiq chose to resign, saying she had become 'a distraction' from the Government's agenda.
