Impact of Universal Credit deductions on demand for food aid

This House notes the high proportion of people seeking help from food aid projects across Good Food Scotland, and the wider Feeding Britain network, who are having sums deducted from their Universal Credit payments; notes also that those deductions arise from the repayment of advances required to cover the five-week waiting period at the beginning of a Universal Credit claim, and historic debts and overpayments; notes also that the Government has acted before to reduce the rate of deductions by lowering the cap and extending repayment periods; calls on the Government immediately to reduce the rate of deductions still further, by lowering the cap to 10 per cent and extending repayment periods by a further 12 months; and calls on the Government to reconsider its decision not to reform the five-week waiting period or replace advances with grants.