Rich Sunak has apparently offered six million people a one-off payment of £1,000.
The cash is part of plans to eliminate the current £20 a week Universal Credit increase which was implemented for one year only.
And, the payment would replace the £20 a week – that’s an extra £1,040 per year – due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, details of how you can apply are unknown, but the payment would be made up-front rather than monthly.
So what has Rishi Sunak said about the money? Officially, nothing so far.
But, the Telegraph claims a Government source says Sunak and his team see the payment as a way to boost the economy.
(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)
The source claimed: “One of the motivations of the Treasury is they think people will go out and spend it and help stimulate the economy.”
The £1,000 is to compensate for the end of the extra £20 a week benefits increase.
Tory MPs who took traditionally Labour seats in the North during the 2019 election have been expressing concerns over the removal of the payments.
They worry the end of the extra cash in April would harm their constituents.
(Image: PA)
Tory Therese Coffey said she is in “active discussion” with the Treasury about whether to go ahead with the cut on April 12.
And the Work and Pensions Secretary said she “hopes” Boris Johnson will announce the final decision “soon”.
More than half of the 5.7million Universal Credit claimants in the UK have signed on for it since the pandemic began last year.
