SHOULD the cut in Universal Credit go ahead it could lead to a ‘mass exodus’ of charity sector staff that will cripple the sector, it has been warned as Parliament prepares to vote on the cut.
The trade union Community, one of the largest representatives of employees in the third sector in the country, has joined charities and members of Parliament to warn that this surge in demand could lead to huge departures of charity sector staff.
Numerous charities have warned that the Universal Credit cut will lead to a surge in demand. Anti-poverty charities recently raised numerous concerns about the plans, with The Joseph Rowntree Foundation saying the cut would push 500,000 people below the poverty line. The Trussell Trust found that 18% of the Universal Credit claimants it polled were unaware of the cut.
43% of the charities have seen an increase in demand for their services during the Coronavirus pandemic, a survey conducted by the Institute of Fundraising in partnership with the Charity Finance Group and NCVO revealed. It also showed that 48% of charities had seen a decline in voluntary income.