Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what additional financial support the Government plans to provide to the devolved Administrations to ensure that people on universal credit are supported when facing increasing food costs during the covid-19 pandemic.

The UK Government’s response to Covid-19 has been UK-wide, and that is why the UK Government has so far announced almost £7 billion of funding to the devolved administrations to support people, business and public services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland This means £3.5 billion for the Scottish Government, £2.1 billion for the Welsh Government and £1.2 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive. This is in addition to the package of temporary welfare measures we have announced to support those on low incomes, including a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element.