Martin Lewis says 'good' DWP change will hand people on Universal Credit £420

Martin Lewis has hailed the Department for Work and Pensions over a "good change" for benefits recipients including Universal Credit. The BBC and ITV star spoke out on Twitter, now X, on Wednesday night in the wake of the Labour Party Chancellor's Budget.

Mr Lewis said: "Just spotted.... this is a good change for benefits recipients, deductions can be soul-destroying. #budget." Mr Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, went on and said: "Caps deductions made through Universal Credit at 15% of the standard allowance.

"Before this Budget, it was 25%... approximately 1.2 million households will keep more of their Universal Credit payment each month, with households expected to be better off by an average of over £420 a year." In reply, a Twitter/X user said: "On the other hand, benefit recipients shouldn't have to wait 5 weeks before any money in the 1st place which results in them being forced to take out a loan...no one is better off...there's no savings there...just longer being given longer to repay the loan forced upon them..."

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"Standard reminder for some of the replies on here: universal credit is also for working people!" a second said. "Quite frankly,if labour donated £100.000 TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN UK RIGHT NOW,IT STILL WOULDNT BE GOOD ENOUGH!!!! There is something very sinister going on in uk. Far right propaganda has cut through to the public,and lord help this GODFORSAKEN COUNTRY.TOO MANY SHEEP," another said.

"Anyone who thinks a person who has to claim Universal Credit is somehow living the good financial life needs to talk to me so I can explain how and why they are a cunt. Signed, a Benefits Officer," another typed. "But, what they aren’t tweeting in bold print is, they are going to give social housing landlords permission to raise rents ABOVE the inflation rate, thus, tenants could be faced with a substantial rent rise," said a fellow social media user.

Another said: "My full state pension is a benefit, yet even with the increase next April I’ll still be below the tax threshold & unable to claim any more … I’m sure there are many others in the same position, a WASPI woman, worked an extra 6yrs & never had the chance of a private pension."