HALF of Scots households have suffered cuts in their Universal Credit payments in a move branded a "poverty tax".
Almost half of the £11.3million taken in May was to repay upfront loans claimants have to take out from the Department for Work and Pensions while waiting five weeks for their first payment.
Nationalist MP Chris Stephens uncovered the vast sum being taken from the poorest people in the country and said 188,000 households lose £60 on average.
He wants the DWP to issue grants to new claimants instead of them being forced to take out upfront loans.
Cash can also be deducted from claimants if they receive overpayment in error.
Stephens discovered the scale of the deductions system after submitting a written question to the UK Government.
This story is from the November 21, 2022 edition of Daily Record.
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This story is from the November 21, 2022 edition of Daily Record.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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