Renfrewshire North and West MSP Natalie Don has called on the UK Government to reinstate a £20-per-week boost to Universal Credit.

The temporary £20 increase to payments was introduced in response to the Covid pandemic but ended in October 2021.

Ms Don said that new research published by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) had found that recent changes to Universal Credit had forced 100,000 more people into absolute poverty in 2022-23.

She told The Gazette: "The latest research from IFS highlights just how important the £20 uplift was for helping households on Universal Credit. It helped them to overcome the extra costs introduced by the Covid lockdowns, but many of those costs have continued even though the £20 uplift has been removed.

"The IFS research shows that the £20 uplift helped households but that help is still needed as prices continue to rise under this Tory created cost-of-living crisis.

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"It's time for the UK Tory government to listen to the experts of the IFS and the positive impact the £20 uplift had on some of the most vulnerable households and re-introduce this uplift as a matter of urgency.

"Whilst the SNP Government continue to use the full extent of its limited devolved powers to implement progressive policies such as the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grants, it is only with the full powers of independence can we truly address the issue of poverty."

A UK government spokesperson said: "The temporary £20 Universal Credit was brought in to support claimants during the pandemic. As the country has reopened, we have rightly moved towards more targeted support to those most in need - providing record financial support worth an average £3,300 per household - and employment support to help people back into work.

"We're have also raised benefits including Universal Credit by over 10%, increased the National Living Wage and we have given an extra £82million to help people in Scotland with food, energy and other essential costs."