Ready for Tories' next rebellion: Truss refuses to commit to raising benefits in line with inflation
4 October 2022, 07:57 | Updated: 4 October 2022, 09:58
Listen Again: Nick Ferrari speaks to Prime Minister Liz Truss
Liz Truss has refused to commit to raising benefits in line with inflation.
But speaking with Nick Ferrari this morning, the Prime Minister said she was ‘fully committed’ to raising pensions as one of her key promises during the leadership contest.
She explained: "Well I committed during the leadership election campaign, that we will protect the triple lock, which means that pensioners get either 2.5% prices or wages, whichever is the higher. And it's very difficult when you are a pensioner to adjust your income in any way.
"People are facing higher prices. Of course, what we're doing on the energy price guarantee will help people with those prices. Now, no decision has been made yet on benefit uprating. That decision will be taken in June."
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Liz Truss pushed on why pensions will rise but benefits will not
Nick asked: "So why are pensioners more important than those in receipt of benefits?"
She replied: "People are in a different situation, depending on which stage of life they're in. And I think it is right that we made a commitment to pensioners that we will protect the triple lock. I'm sticking with that commitment. As I've said, no decision has been made, Nick."
She said that no decision has been made on whether benefits like universal credit would be getting an uplift – in line with inflation but that a decision would be made ‘in due course’, however she didn't commit to a timeline of when that might happen.
Nick then pushed on, asking the prime minister if somebody in their 70s is more important than a mum of two who gets benefits to survive.
The PM explained that they're 'in a different situation', later clarifying: "What I mean is, when people are on a fixed income like pensions, it's quite hard to adjust. I think there's a different situation for people who are in the position to work - of course we should look at that."
When quizzed on whether she thinks people on benefits 'should just go and get a job', she said she wants to make sure more people are going to into work and getting more hours.
