Universal Credit ‘taper rate’ cut by 8% to give claimants an extra £1,000 a year
Mr Sunak announced an increase in benefits for 40% of Universal Credit claimants as he unveiled his 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review in the Commons this afternoon
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has announced today that the Universal Credit taper rate is to be cut by 8%.
Mr Sunak confirmed that the taper rate – the amount of Universal Credit that gets withdrawn for every pound that a claimant earns through work – will be slashed from 63p to 55p on the pound, in an announcement to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon..
In what was one of the final points addressed as he unveiled the 2021 Autumn Budget and Spending Review, Mr Sunak said that he wants to live in a society that “rewards work”.
In real terms, it means that £2bn pounds a year is being put back into Universal Credit following the £6bn lost by claimants following the end of the weekly £20 uplift.
He said that the cut to the taper rate “takes a first step” towards that vision.
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However, the taper rate changes will only increase the income of those Universal Credit claimants that are currently in work.
Still, with 40% of claimants also working in jobs at least part-time, the Chancellor’s announcement does mean that many will be able to keep more of their benefits.
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The changes will be introduced this year, no later than 1 December 2021.
It’s a tax cut next year worth over £2bn, he says, that will “benefit nearly two million families who will keep, on average, an extra £1,000 a year”.
It is the first change made to the Universal Credit taper rate in five years.
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Taking to Twitter following the Autumn Budget 2021 announcement to explain the cut to the taper rate in a series of tweets, Mr Sunak said: “We are cutting the Universal Credit Taper Rate not by 1%, not by 2% – but by 8%. From 63p to 55p.
“The Taper Rate withdraws support gradually as people work more hours. It is currently 63%, so for every extra £1 someone earns, their Universal Credit is reduced by 63p. Let’s call this what it is: a tax on work – and a high rate of tax at that – so to make sure work pays, and help some of the lowest income families keep more of their hard-earned money, I have decided that the UC Taper Rate will be cut, not by 1p or even 2p – but by 8p.
“This is a tax on working people – and I’m cutting it from 63p to 55p.”
He then added: “I’m also increasing the Work Allowances by £500, this is a tax cut next year of £2.2 billion, so nearly 2 million families will keep, on average, an extra £1,000 a year.
“We’ll introduce not in April as normal but within weeks, and no later than December 1st.”
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Mr Sunak claimed during his announcement that a single mother of two could be better off by around £1,200 a year, while a couple renting a home with two children could be better off by around £1,800.
You can find more the 2021 Autumn Budget in full on the gov.uk website here.
FA issues statement after reports of ‘tragedy chanting’ during Man United’s FA Cup win over Liverpool
Emily Sergeant
The FA has issued a statement following reports of “tragedy chanting” during the Manchester United and Liverpool’s match yesterday.
In what football fans, pundits, and neutrals alike are calling one of the most “thrilling” games to have happened in recent memory, Manchester United clinched a last-minute 4-3 win over fierce local rivals Liverpool in the quarter finals of the FA Cup yesterday afternoon (17 March) – with surprise match-winner Amad Diallo scoring a late goal in the 120th minute.
The Reds’ defender Scott McTominay opened the scoring in the 10th minute, with Liverpool goals then following from Alexis Mac Allister and superstar striker Mo Salah just before half-time.
In the second half, another goal came for United after Antony found the back of the net in the 87th minute to take the match to extra time, and then the next 30-minutes saw Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott and Manchester‘s-own Marcus Rashford get themselves on the score sheet in pretty quick succession to take the tie to 3-3.
With the time on the clock ticking down, and a place in the semi FA Cup semi finals within touching distance for both clubs, Reds’ winger Diallo fired the ball into the bottom right-hand corner to claim not only a win for his team, but also what was only his second goal in a United shirt.
United fans were, understandably, elated with the win over the team that has historically, and arguably continues to be, their biggest rivals.
But sadly, it appears that some fans took this excitement a little too far.
It has been widely-reported on by numerous media outlets that, during the second half of United’s extra time win, a significant number of fans in the Stretford End of Old Trafford were heard chanting ‘murderers’, quickly followed by ‘always the victims’, both in reference to the Hillsborough Disaster – with the singing said to be “audible” to the live television audience.
Other chants of ‘The Sun were right’ were also reported, and this has subsequently led to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launching an investigation, making an arrest in connection with “tragedy chanting”, and issuing a statement condemning the incident.
The FA has also since released a statement following the reports, and has pledged to support GMP with ongoing investigations in whichever ways they can.
GMP’s statement provided by a spokesperson reads: “Incidents of tragedy chanting will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.
“We are all familiar with fans taunting their opponents at football matches, but this is generally done in good humour and without offence. The incidents today crossed the line of what is acceptable, and we will work closely with both clubs to identify anyone responsible for committing offences during the event.”
The FA’s statement, which was shared to social media yesterday evening, also reads in full: “We are aware of the reported tragedy chanting during today’s FA Cup fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool, and we will be liaising with and supporting Greater Manchester Police.
“We strongly condemn any offensive, abusive and discriminatory chants in football stadiums, and we are determined to stamp this behaviour out.
“It is entirely unacceptable and can have a lasting and damaging impact on people and communities within our game.
Two arrested after man is murdered in broad daylight in ‘quiet’ East Manchester residential area
Emily Sergeant
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was killed in the middle of a “quiet residential area” of East Manchester over the weekend.
The arrested suspects, two males, are currently being questioned by police detectives.
It comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called out to reports of an unresponsive male on Olympic Street, in the Beswick area of East Manchester, shortly before 11am this past Saturday (16 March) – and, despite the best efforts of emergency services and “selfless members of public” at the scene, he was sadly pronounced dead.
A team of specialist detectives have “worked throughout the night” to apprehend those believed to be involved in this murder, GMP has revealed, and with a police investigation having now been opened, “extensive work” is ongoing to understand the circumstances around the distressing incident.
According to GMP, initial enquiries have indicated that the victim was killed whilst he was trying to stop his car from being stolen.
Two people have been arrested after a man was murdered in broad daylight in a ‘quiet’ East Manchester residential area / Credit: GMP
Following the incident, GMP has confirmed that a 35-year-old man has now been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a 43-year-old man has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
They both remain in police custody at this time.
With the two arrests made, and enquiries currently ongoing and “moving at pace”, GMP has issued an appeal to the public for information, witnesses, and footage – with Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Smith, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, explaining: “At the centre of this investigation is a grieving family, who we will do all we can to get answers for.
“Our investigation is moving at pace, and I have a team of detectives who continue to work relentlessly to capture a picture of what happened in the events leading up to this incident.
#ARREST | Two men arrested in connection with Beswick murder.
Two men, aged 35 & 43, are in custody. They will be questioned by detectives tonight.
“Additional officers remain in the area to offer reassurance to the local community, so if you have any questions, or want to share any information, please speak to them.
“They are there for you and any detail, no matter how small it may seem, could help us.”
Anyone with any details that could assist police with their investigation is asked to report them via the LiveChat function on gmp.police.uk, or by calling 101 quoting incident number 1172 of 16/3/24.