Universal credit is an unjust system focussed on saving money rather than supporting people. Report after report has outlined the devastating impact that this system of administering support to low income families and the vulnerable has had on the physical and mental health of those who rely on help from government. 

Boris Johnson is planning to scrap the Universal Credit uplift and take £1040 from working families and the vulnerable. Deirdre Hargey and Conor Murphy have the power to mitigate these cuts to people in Northern Ireland but have done nothing to put the £55m - less than 0.5% of the Executive's budget - in place.

The £20 weekly uplift has been a lifeline for families during the Covid-19 pandemic. Withdrawing it now is cruel and will be the difference between parents being able to provide food and clothes for their children or not. Boris Johnson should abandon this proposal but if he doesn't, Deirdre Hargey and Conor Murphy need to step in and mitigate the cut before it harms people here.