CAMPAIGNERS fighting for an end to Universal Credit have taken their battle to Parliament.

Members of the Gwent-based Pobl Youth Group visited London this week, where, along with Newport East MP Jessica Morden, they met employment minister Alok Sharma to discuss their concerns around Universal Credit.

Key to their concern is that, under Universal Credit, single parents aged younger than 25 are paid a lower rate than they previously received through tax credits.

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Speaking after the meeting Labour MP Ms Morden - who has frequently raised concerns around Universal Credit - said: “Under Universal Credit younger parents are losing out through no fault of their own because of an in-built injustice in the system.

"Twenty-four-year-old parents face the same living costs as 25-year-olds – their bills are certainly no cheaper – yet they are £66 a month worse off under Universal Credit.

"The campaigners I met with tell me that this is causing them real hardship.

She added: “There is no clear rationale for the policy.

"The government’s suggestion that those under 25 are likely to have lower living costs is a sweeping and lazy generalisation.

"Many parents under the age of 25 are in education or establishing themselves in the world of work, and in some cases ties with families have broken down so that they can no longer count on parental support.

"This flies in the face of previous government claims that no one would be worse off under the new system – 55,000 parents on Universal Credit are worse off than they would have been under legacy benefits.

“I was pleased that the Department for Work and Pensions minister made good on his promise to meet with us today and listen to the concerns of local campaigners like Sydny and Kath, but the fact remains that there are a number of gaping flaws with Universal Credit which need to be addressed if claimants are ever to invest any trust in a system which has already been plagued by problems.”