Help defeat Government over their proposed tax credit cuts! Write your MP!

Guest blog post by 38 Degrees — by way of copy and paste of e-mail content

Next Wednesday the government could go ahead with plans to cut support for hard-working families. The support - called Universal Credit - is supposed to help people earning low wages get by. [1] But the cuts could mean families having to choose between eating or heating their homes. Right now, the new Chancellor Philip Hammond is finalising his plan for the economy - he’ll announce it next week. [2] He could decide to reverse the cuts - and MPs are already demanding he does. [3]. If thousands of us sign a huge petition, the added public pressure could convince Philip Hammond to scrap the cuts. There’s only a week until he announces his plan so we haven’t got long. Please can you sign the petition now? It takes less than a minute: Sign the petition These cuts will see some families lose £200 a month. [4] That’s an entire month’s food shop. [5] And if they go ahead, it will mean if you get a promotion or do more shifts, your family could end up worse off. It just doesn’t make sense. Together we’ve stood up to cuts like these before - and won. [6] When the government tried to cut tax credits for hard-working families last year, we forced them to back down. It started with a huge petition, signed by people like you. It ended with relief for thousands of people across the UK. Philip Hammond is already feeling the pressure over these cuts. If one of us asks him to reverse them, it might not be enough to convince him. But if thousands of us add our names to one huge petition, it’ll be hard for Philip Hammond to ignore. Can you add your name to the petition now? Sign the petition Thanks for being involved, Trish, Lorna, Charlotte and the 38 Degrees team PS: PS: If you’re not sure if you’ll be affected by cuts to Universal Credit, you can find out more at Citizens Advice: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/citizens-advice NOTES: [1, 4] Universal credit cuts to lose low-income families £1000 a year: The Independent: No U-turn on benefit cuts that will take £1,000 a year off three million families, says Government: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/no-u-turn-on-cuts-that-will-take-1000-a-year-off-three-million-families-a-cabinet-minister-has-said-a7388661.html [2] The Telegraph: What to expect from Philip Hammond's first Autumn Statement: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/0/autumn-statement-what-is-it-when-is-it-and-what-will-philip-hamm/ [3] The Guardian: Theresa May faces Tory backlash over planned cuts to in-work benefits: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/21/theresa-may-tory-backlash-cuts-in-work-benefits-universal-credit [5] Daily Mail: Thrifty mum reveals how she slashed her food bill to just £40 a week for her family of four: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3654238/Thrifty-mum-reveals-slashed-food-bill-just-40-week-family-FOUR.html [6] 38 Degrees: Tax credits win: https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2015/11/25/tax-credits-win/