Protestors campaign outside MP's office over Universal Credit

CAMPAIGNERS came together to protest over the extension of Universal Credit.
The Universal Credit protest

at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur RahmanThe Universal Credit protest

at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur Rahman
The Universal Credit protest at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur Rahman

Following concerns that applicants are waiting six weeks to receive payments and some are facing eviction due to rent arrears, protestors gathered outside Penny Mordaunt, Portsmouth North MP’s office in Lakeside, North Harbour to rally against the new system today.

Alan Burgess of Portsmouth’s Unite the Community union branch said the former work and pensions minister should convince the government to postpone a further roll-out of the new system.

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Mr Burgess, who organised the protest said: ‘We are protesting about the implementation and roll-out of Universal Credit in its current form.

The Universal Credit protest

at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur RahmanThe Universal Credit protest

at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur Rahman
The Universal Credit protest at 1000 Lakeside Picture: Habibur Rahman

‘In its current form there is a six-week delay for payment and this is putting people in duress.

Landlords are no longer wanting to rent to poor people due to the delays. We want to see the system postponed and re-looked at to stop more people being hit by delays in payments.’

Mr Burgess was joined at the protest by representatives from the Portsmouth Unison Branch, Portsmouth Trades Council and 
the Portsmouth branch of the 
Green Party among several other protestors.

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Around a thousand people are currently receiving Universal Credit in Portsmouth and the new system is due to be rolled out to the rest of the city next summer.

Ms Mordaunt previously told The News: ‘Under universal credit, we have been learning and improving it and have reduced the time it takes for people to get the money.’