Poorer families would suffer under a no deal scenario, say charities

The Trussel Trust, Shelter and Action for Children, among others, wrote:

“As organisations who speak with and support low-income families up-and-down the country every day, we know that many people are trapped in impossible situations; struggling to pay their rent or put food on the table for their children. As a country that believes in protecting each other from harm, this is not an acceptable situation.

“There is widespread agreement that some level of economic and social disruption will follow Brexit, at least in the short term, and worst of all under a ‘no deal’ scenario. Low-income families will be worst affected, having already endured years of benefit cuts and freezes. The public services they rely upon are also under pressure due to the consequences of rising poverty. We need a new deal for low-income families to cushion the blow and this has prompted us to write to you.

They say the ‘already shamefully high’ rates of poverty in the UK could worsen unless the government steps in.

The group call for three things: an end to the benefits freeze that was introduced in April 2016, reduce the five week wait at the start of claiming unviersal credit to two weeks and for the government to provide a ‘stimulus package’ of support for jobs which could be affected by Brexit — particularly in the area of trade in regions of deprivation.

One of the key signatories on…