An Isle of Wight charity boss is warning of the true impact of cutting universal credit and what the move will mean for one in seven Islanders of working age.

Scroll down for details of an advice and support day...

The benefit was temporarily increased because of Covid-19, but payments will revert to their former levels when furlough ends, on October 6.

At the same time as the top-up is removed and as the government's support for workers ends, prompting fears of an increase in redundancies, the cost of energy will go up.

Chief officer of Citizens Advice Isle of Wight, Paul Savill, called the £20 extra per week in universal credit a 'critical cash boost'.

He said it offered quick and targeted support for people on the lowest incomes - those working, looking for work, or unable to work due to disability, or caring responsibilities.

Mr Savill warned that almost three-quarters of those who have turned to Citizens Advice because they are in debt will be unable to cover their living costs, when the cut and steeper bills for heating and cooking are combined.

"Keeping the increase is the single best way to promote a strong, fair recovery," Paul Savill said.

"£20 extra per week doesn’t just help our clients keep food on the table, it is a critical cash boost for communities that need it most.

"Taking it away will hit many Islanders."

During the coronavirus crisis, the charity has supported 1,131 Islanders with universal credit.

Nearly half were people who had not previously needed the support of Citizen's Advice Isle of Wight.

Mr Savill said national research showed those living in areas prioritised for investment are one and a half times more likely to claim Universal Credit and said the government's 'levelling up' agenda would take too long to pay dividends.

Paul Savill said: "Our analysis shows that 28 per of households in which someone receives universal credit are behind on their energy bill.

"That's seven times the rate of those who do not receive the benefit."

  • Citizens Advice Isle of Wight and its partners will hold the annual Winter is Coming event, on October 14, at the Riverside Centre in Newport, offering support and advice to those who need it.