A BENEFITS expert has issued his support to a Conservative peer’s last-ditch bid to block the Government’s Universal Credit uplift cut.

The Colchester-based Association of Pension and Benefits Claimants founder Simon Collyer has written to Baroness Philippa Stroud to rally her on in her push to help struggling families.

The extra £20, introduced at the start of the Covid pandemic, officially ended last Wednesday.

Baroness Stroud - who helped design the Universal Credit system - said it was a “tragedy” MPs had not had a “meaningful vote” on the planned cut.

Mr Collyer now says families simply cannot live on the current Universal Credit.

He pointed out claimants can have medical problems, such as type 2 diabetes, which is not deemed serious enough to be classed as a disability, could be affected.

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“If there is not enough money for food, shelter and heating, we may expect to see a rising death toll and one where claimants end up with permanent mental scarring,” added Mr Collyer.

“Food banks have helped take the strain in recent years but, as a generalisation, the nutritious food runs out after three to four days and people are left to survive on packets of noodles, chocolate bars and tins of chopped tomatoes.

“Any unwritten agreement between the House of Lords and the House of Commons should be ignored. Especially so if the House of Commons is abusing its power in a way likely to cause harm and even death to citizens.

"Baroness Stroud is carrying the weight of the nation in what will be a life and death issue for many.”