How Brexit could affect carers

The recent changes make it clear that Universal Credit looks a lot different to its original conception. Specifically, by 2020-21, the cuts will make the UC system less generous than was initially proposed, which ultimately means a majority of working families will be worse off. In addition, the benefit cap has seen a decrease of £3000 for couples and lone parents in London to £23,000, while it has decreased £2800 for single people to £15,410. Outside London, the cap has been set at £20,000 and £13,400 for couples and single people respectively.

A recent study conducted by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research shows that these changes will reduce the average income of a social rented household by around £1,300 a year – almost double what a private rented household will lose (£710), and more than five times the average loss of an owner occupied household (£230). With regard to local welfare, following stopping crisis loans and community care grants in 2013, for 2015-16, the government included funding for local welfare provision in councils’ revenue support grant.