Benefit cuts may push families into further hardship

The Catholic Archbishop of Southwark has warned that thousands of families will suffer if the Government moves ahead with changes to the benefits system.

In a letter to The Times, the Most Rev Peter Smith called for child benefit to be exempt from the proposed cap on household benefits to £500 a week.

With the cap applying to all families, regardless of size, the Archbishop said the proposals in the Welfare Reform Bill would be especially hard on larger families.

They may be forced to cut back on essentials such as heating and food, and may even lose their homes, he warned.

“This impact will at least be mitigated if the Bill is amended so that child benefit is not counted towards the capped amount,” he said.

The Archbishop criticised plans to make benefit claimants repay debts accumulated as a result of administrative errors.

He voiced particular concern over the £60 million of legal aid cuts currently being debated in the House of Lords.

The proposals, he said, would affect thousands of children whose parents are involved in civil cases and result in fewer victims of domestic abuse being able to claim support.

“While we all recognise that difficult decisions have to be made, it is vitally important to meet the fundamental needs of the most vulnerable families to prevent them from being pushed into further hardship,” he said.

The Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) has similarly warned that the money-saving measures will hit children hardest and trap victims of violent relationships in a "cycle of abuse or fear".

Steven Webb, director of Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society, said: “We know that in situations where parents have problems it is often the children who suffer the most.

“This is not something that a civilised society should be prepared to tolerate.”

Mick Clarke, chief executive of the Westminster-based charity, Passage, echoed similar concerns.

“I have no doubt that these proposals, if allowed to go through unchecked, will drive people further into poverty,” he said.