Open up Universal Credit briefing to Northumberland's Third Sector

Today at Full Council I will be asking a question to the Tory Leader relating to Universal Credit.

We all know the damage it is doing to families and communities up and down the Country. We also know that third sector organisations are picking up the brunt of supporting people when the Local Government and Government services don't.

Universal Credit is on it's way to Northumberland, the County Council has organised a briefing for Councillors on how the Council can help etc....in February.

Today I am asking for that briefing to be opened up, for third sector organisations working in Northumberland to be invited to that briefing to better share information with those who are genuinely preparing to help families who will be hit hardest with this failed system roll out.

Families will be pushed in to further debt and arrears, 5 weeks families will be asked to go without money. Foodbanks and others will struggle to support families across Northumberland.

The Government should have accepted The Labour Party proposal to pause and fix Universal Credit before damaging more families.