MORE than 20,000 people in Swindon will lose around £1,000 a year as the government axes a benefits boost brought in during the pandemic.

A controversial decision to end the £20-a-week top-up for Universal Credit faced strong criticism as families face losing vital funds which have helped them through a difficult 18 months.

The government says the uplift which ended yesterday was intended to be temporary and a new scheme will be introduced to help those hit hardest by it ending.

The latest available figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show there were 21,698 people claiming Universal Credit in Swindon in July.

Of these claimants, 57 per cent were not in work and 43 per cent were in some sort of employment, but their wages did not provide enough money to live on without support.

Anti-poverty campaigners say there are more than 5.8 million claimants across the UK who may struggle to make ends meet after the uplift is taken away, especially with energy bills and National Insurance costs rising in the coming weeks.

Swindon Labour’s deputy leader Emma Bushell said: “Working families in Swindon are taking an absolute battering from the Conservatives. Higher tax, lower support and rising energy prices – this is a perfect storm and local families are being abandoned by this Tory government just when they need them most.

“Ministers like to pretend that this crisis won’t hit families hard but the truth is that those on Universal Credit will be down £220 by Christmas alone – that’s more than half the average family Christmas budget.

“People in Swindon need real support, but all they get from this Conservative government are empty slogans and a cost-of-living crisis that could ruin Christmas. Swindon deserves better.”

The first ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are among the high-profile opponents to the proposal who have urged prime minister Boris Johnson to change his mind about scrapping the uplift.

In a letter, the leaders said there was no rationale to justify cutting this support at a point when people across the UK are facing “an unprecedented squeeze on their household budgets”.

Claimants will receive the last payment with the uplift included next Wednesday.

Adver readers voiced their views on the support measure being cut and how people will cope afterwards.

Rose Howells said: “It will affect me and my partner big time. We will be losing £80 a month. This is a massive hit for us as we are struggling already.”

Anne Sarah said: “It’s disgusting, making the divide between rich and poor even greater.”

Sharon Masters said: “Shame on this rich government.”

Stacey Reynolds said: “With the rising costs of bills and utilities, it’s really going to affect people.”

Callie McBride said: “I was already struggling before the pandemic. Wages need to go up, not bailouts. 

“Businesses need to stop short-paying workers so that they don’t have to top-up via the government.”

Zoe Elliott said: “It will affect me in a negative way but there’s no point crying about it, nothing’s going to change so what’s the point?”

Mick Prout said: “This was an extra £20 and only temporary and was always going to be removed.

“I am not Boris’ biggest fan but surely he should get some recognition for giving it in the first place, and I get that it’s tough.”

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said this represented the “biggest ever overnight cut to social security” and claimed the government’s decision could plunge up to half a million people into poverty.

As the uplift is removed, a new support scheme will be put in place to help those who will find its loss the most challenging.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: “As the economy reopens with record vacancies and rising wages, the government rightly recognised that for some, additional support is still required, particularly with pressure from rising energy costs.

“I very much welcome and support the new additional £500 million local welfare assistance scheme that will allow for personalised and tailored support to those most in need.”

Katie Schmuecker from the JRF said: “The prime minister is abandoning millions to hunger and hardship with his eyes wide open.”

She added the decision “flies in the face of the government’s mission to unite and level up our country”.

“People’s bills won’t suddenly get cheaper and families are already anxious about how they will get through a looming cost of living crisis.

“This decision shows a total disregard for the consequences.”

A government spokesman said: “We’ve always been clear that the uplift to Universal Credit and the furlough scheme were temporary.

“They were designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic, and they have done so.”

The spokesman added that Universal Credit would continue to provide support for people in and out of work.