BLACKBURN with Darwen Council is being asked to join the campaign to retain the £20 a week increase in Universal Credit payments introduced in response to coronavirus.

Two Labour councillors have put down a motion for debate at the authority's Council Forum meeting on Thursday.

Borough finance boss and Vicky McGurk and Ewood ward's Cllr Maureen Bateson want the government to extend the rise introduced on March 20 beyond its current April expiry date.

Their motion asks for chief executive Denise Park to write to chancellor, Rishi Sunak and prime minister Boris Johnson demanding that the increase is made permanent.

It says: "The £20 a week boost reflected the reality that the level of benefits were not adequate to protect the swiftly increasing number of households relying on them as the crisis hit.

"Exactly because that increase was a very significant and welcome move to bolster low- and middle-income families' living standards, its removal will be a huge loss.

"The increase in benefits has had a positive effect on the lives of thousands of local claimants who are better able to pay for life’s essentials such as food, clothing and utilities, many of which have increased for families."

Earlier this month Hyndburn Council passed a similar motion.