The Bishop of Durham has called for the £20 increase to Universal Credit to be made permanent.

The Government introduced the increase during the pandemic but it is due to be reversed in April 2021 after the Chancellor did not commit to extending it in his recent spending review. 

A new poll by the Health Foundation and Ipsos MORI shows strong public support (59%) for the change to be made permanent, with only a fifth saying they were opposed to this. 

Bishop Paul Butler said the findings were "very encouraging" and that the Government should "respond positively" to the Health Foundation's report. 

"Report after report has highlighted the importance of this uplift," he said. 

"Consistently those working with the most vulnerable from across the political spectrum have called for this to become permanent." 

He added: "I continue to hope that they will also re-think their position on the other 'Legacy Benefits' and raise these by the same £20."