Gordon Brown demands ‘cruel’ DWP stops raid on 2 million benefit claimants

Government acting as ‘ruthless debt collector’ at time of hardship, says former Labour PM

Former Labour PM Gordon Brown (Getty Images)

Gordon Brown has called on Rishi Sunak’s to halt “cruel” debt deductions from Britons’ benefit payments – saying it would “lifesaver” for struggling families this Christmas.

The former Labour PM said around two million Universal Credit claimants were suffering from deductions taken by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to repay debt – averaging around £60 a month.

Mr Brown said the DWP was acting as “ruthless debt-collector” at a time when many families were in dire trouble from soaring inflation during the cost of living crisis.