FAMILIES on the breadline in Swindon fear the loss of a Universal Credit uplift will make it harder to pay for food and bills.

The government introduced the £20-a-week bonus in April 2020 to provide extra help to those who may have lost work because of the pandemic.

But after being extended in April this year, the uplift it will be taken away by October 6.

The Christians Against Poverty charity helps vulnerable adults and families balance their budgets as well as find and prepare for work through its job club.

Single mum-of-three Joanne King is one of the charity’s clients. She said: “This will affect us more than the government realise. I’ve been used to budgeting the extra £100 a month and I am scared of October, absolutely petrified.

“I just don’t know how I’m going to budget £100 less, that money goes an awful long way, and Covid has already put me in hardship,.”

Fellow client and job club member Neil Johnson added: “This government feels like an anti-Robin Hood, taking from the poor and giving to the rich.”

Christians Against Poverty joined the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and 100 other organisations to write and send an open letter to Parliament urging the government to reconsider the uplift removal.

They argued the cut would “repeat the mistakes of the last economic crisis”.

The JRF says most parts of England, Scotland and Wales will see more than one in three families and their children affected as a result of the £1,040-a-year cut.

The Trussell Trust estimates that nearly a quarter of a million parents on Universal Credit fear not being able to put dinner on the table for their children when the cut comes into force.

CAP’s Highworth branch manager Kathryn Ford said: “They are not trying to squeeze money out of the government, they need it.

“This will affect seven of the families we work with, some are single parents, that money makes a big difference. The uplift was so helpful to them during the pandemic and we will help them readjust their budgets if it’s cut but something will have to go.”

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: “During the unprecedented challenges of Covid we have provided both a £9bn of additional welfare support and introduced the furlough scheme which has protected over 11 million jobs.

“As the economy re-opens, both of the schemes will come to an end. That said, specifically on welfare we will continue to offer additional targeted support through the extension of the free school meals provision, the holiday activities programme, discretionary housing support and local welfare assistance.

“Through Universal Credit claimants are offered personalised and tailored financial, childcare, training and wider support. This has helped deliver record employment, with rising incomes - vital to everyone.”