MPs are being urged to oppose planned cuts to Universal Credit, as the coronavirus crisis continues to push people beneath the poverty line.

The benefit was increased by an additional £20 per week at the start of the pandemic so those most in need would have a greater financial safety net.

But the provision is due to end in April, putting thousands of Kent families at risk of being unable to pay rent, food and bills.

Thanet is a district with some of the highest poverty rates in the country, with 18,504 Universal Credit claimants in the district as of October 2020.

The figure is the highest in the county, and makes up 22.8% of Thanet’s entire population.

One cabinet member for Thanet District Council (TDC) is calling on the government to reconsider a decision which could see claimants struggle even more.

Cllr Rob Yates, of Margate Central Ward and cabinet member for finance, administration and community wealth building, said: “We’re in the worst recession of any major economy, we’re in the middle of a Covid pandemic, and the government are saying in two months time we’re going to reduce £20 a week from some of the most needy families and people in Thanet.

“This simply is not the right timing, they need to rethink this and do the right thing.

“One of the misconceptions is that Universal Credit is for people out of work, whereas actually 39% of Universe Credit claimants are in work. There’s another misconception that Thanet residents don’t want to work whereas the residents I meet are aspirational and they don’t want to be on Universal Credit.

“But you look around and shops are closed - there are no jobs for them to move into, so this Universal Credit payment is a lifeline for them, and the residents I’ve spoken to have said they’ll have to move to food banks if this is dropped.”

Mr Yates is calling on South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay to release a statement so people in Thanet understand whether he will support the scrapping of the additional £20 after April.

He said: “I am urging in particular for Craig Mackinlay to come out and tell us what his views are - it’s kind of shocking that there are 18,504 Universal Credit claimants in Thanet, and people are asking ‘what’s going to happen in April, are we going to keep this money?'

“He’s just saying nothing, all I’m asking for is a statement asking what his views are, and on a personal level it makes me kind of angry he’s refusing to even have a statement to the press on this.”

Mr Mackinlay has been approached for comment.

North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale took to social media at the weekend to express his opinion on an extension to the benefit.

He tweeted: “I have already expressed to the Treasury my view that given the original justification for the uplift which was intended to be temporary & has already been extended it should be extended further to recognise the ongoing effects of the pandemic upon incomes.”

A Thanet charity set up to help residents weather the effects of poverty has also called on the temporary weekly £20 increase to continue.

Alexander Roarke, who runs the Thanet Iceberg Project, said: “Universal Credit was quite low anyway, and I just think that needs to be there for as long as possible.

“For the foreseeable future as this pandemic is raging I think that money needs to stay where it is.”

Mr Roarke is concerned what could happen if the provision is removed in April: “The knock-on effect of further social need will be great, and it’s what are the costs further down the line that have to be considered.”

He added: “A certain amount of people will find work again once this pandemic is over, and then the bill will go down anyway.

“If you lower the safety net too far, when you hit it you run the risk of banging on the ground and it ceases to be a safety net - if you lower it any more, it won’t be a safety net.”

With the threat of the end to the temporary uplift, there is a concern more people could end up homeless on the streets of Kent as a result.

Homeless charity Porchlight is urging the government to make sure further people are not evicted from their homes as Covid-19 continues to put pressure on the county.

Chris Thomas from the organisation said: “We need the government to act, we need them to make sure that no one is going to be evicted because of the pandemic.

“We also need to ensure we have a welfare system that helps people in the long term, we need investment in properly affordable housing, homes that people can really afford to live in.”

Labour councillors at Swale Borough Council successfully passed a motion to write to Rishi Sunak and the Prime Minister asking to keep the provision and also introduce a £20-a-week increase to Carer's Allowance.

Cllr Ben J Martin (Lib Dem) said of carers in the borough: "Carers paid and unpaid, young and old, do a remarkable and important job, they are an integral part of Swale's community and deserve support and too often, they have been forgotten and ignored by national government and generally people not knowing what's going on."

Councillors also voted to promote Young Carer's Day this year during their virtual meeting on Wednesday, January 6.

Council Leader Roger Truelove (Lab) added: "This is about supporting a national drive towards understanding that the impact of the coronavirus is very harsh on a lot of people and if the government can splash billions of pounds around track and trace that fails, they can afford to fund this."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet