The Bishop of Durham has added his voice to calls on the Government to 'fix' Universal Credit amid concerns that more people across the UK are going hungry.
Bishop Paul Butler is one of the signatories to the End Hunger UK petition, which claims that Universal Credit has caused hardship for vulnerable people and put increased strain on emergency food supplies.
The petition says that Universal Credit is 'failing' in its role as a welfare safety net for people in financial hardship and that 'delays, errors, a lack of flexibility and adequate support' have resulted in some people experiencing greater levels of debt and destitution.
It is calling on the Government to make a number of changes to the way Universal Credit operates. These include providing debt advice, reducing the level of loan repayments from 40 per cent to 10 per cent, and reducing waiting times for payments from five weeks to two. The petition also asks for disability allowance to be restored and Universal Credit levels to be raised to 'the real cost of living.'
'We call on Government to fix Universal Credit to prevent more people going hungry,' the petition reads.
'We share a vision of a society where everyone has access to good food, and no one has to go to bed hungry.'
Churches are being encouraged to get involved in collecting signatures as part of their Harvest festivals and End Hunger Week, which is taking place from 13 to 20 October 2018.
In addition to adding his own name to the petition, Bishop Butler has written to all bishops in the Church of England encouraging them to do the same.
Bishop Butler said many churches in the Diocese of Durham had been helping struggling families over the summer by running holiday clubs that not only provided fun activities but also food for the children.
He said: 'We are all well aware of the reality for too many families that making ends meet and providing adequate healthy food for children is very hard.'
The bishop said he supported the 'principle and direction' of Universal Credit but said some recipients have reported delays and poor administration among other problems.
'All of these problems can and should be resolved,' he said.
'We need urgent action to improve the flexibility and support for people on Universal Credit, and a long-term commitment that the social security system will provide enough income to afford good food on a regular basis.
'Without such action, we can expect to see more and more people turning to food banks and becoming trapped in poverty, as more people are moved on to Universal Credit.'
