KIRKCALDY and Cowdenbeath MP Neale Hanvey has slammed UK Government plans to cut universal credit as “cruel” and “unnecessary”.

He said the £20-a-week reduction in social security, an annual income drop of £1,040 for claimants, would "push Fifers into poverty overnight".

Mr Hanvey said: “This is a completely unnecessary cut at the very worst time.

"If Boris (Johnson) and his chums hadn’t noticed, there is still a global pandemic going on which has seen many people in my constituency face reduced hours at work, pay cuts, furlough and even redundancy."

The MP, who repeated his call for a universal basic income, added: "Over 10,000 working-age families in the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency will see a £1,040-a-year cut to their incomes.

"It beggars belief that anyone could think this acceptable at any time, let alone during a pandemic."

A £20-a-week increase in universal credit was introduced by the UK Government at the start of lockdown last year.

In March this year, chancellor Rishi Sunak said it would remain in place for another six months, until the end of September, although a significant number of MPs and anti-poverty campaigners are pressing for him to make it permanent.

The Government argue the uplift, due to end on October 6, will no longer be needed as the economy opens up with Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating: "The emphasis has got to be about getting people into work."

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, an independent social change organisation, said families in Mr Hanvey's constituency would be among the hardest-hit in Scotland by "the biggest overnight cut to the basic rate of social security since the modern welfare state began, more than 70 years ago".

The MP said: "The UK Government must do the right thing and scrap these ridiculous plans that are cruel, unnecessary and will push Fifers into poverty overnight.”