Labour is urging MPs to vote to keep the £20 a week uplift in Universal Credit brought in when the pandemic hit.

Northumberland Labour Group leader Susan Dungworth said: “Individuals and families are struggling. The government must put families first during this lockdown and ensure that their actions do not make a very difficult situation into a complete crisis. We know many people are at, or even beyond breaking point. This is not the time to cut Universal Credit.”

The government is refusing to scrap the Universal Credit cut in the face of opposition from 50 of its own Northern Research Group MPs, two former Conservative Work and Pensions Secretaries and dozens of charities and campaign groups.

Susan added: “Britain is facing the worst recession of any major economy because of the government’s incompetent handling of the pandemic. The Chancellor must end the uncertainty for millions of families and secure our economy by cancelling the cut. If people do not have the money, they cannot help rebuild our economy.