Sunak must extend universal credit or be forced into another U-turn

Many low earners are in jobs hit hard by the coronavirus, and help for them feeds straight back into the economy

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Right from the start of the Covid-19 crisis the government was never in any doubt about the implications of putting the economy into deep freeze.

The Treasury knew it was going to be bad, so there was a furlough scheme for employees, financial assistance for the self-employed, grants, loan guarantees, a business rates holiday, a deferral of VAT, and a 1,000-a-year increase in universal credit.