Five in six low income households are currently going without essentials (Food, fuel, water, travel, clothes, sundries and communications).
In Lanark and Hamilton East, 9,593 households were claiming Universal Credit in January 2024, and 20.3% of children are living in relative poverty across the constituency.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and The Trussell Trust are campaigning for an Essentials Guarantee to be embedded within the benefits system. Current benefit levels in the UK do not go far enough to cover the cost of essentials. A legal minimum would guarantee that no one on universal credit would go without the essentials.
I am conducting this survey to understand how an essentials guarantee would impact the constituency of Lanark and Hamilton East. Through hearing your experiences and thoughts directly, I hope to use this data to advance the Essentials Guarantee campaign.
Why are we collecting this data and who will have access to it?
I am collecting this data to better inform my work in Parliament and the constituency. My research team will use the data to identify trends across the constituency, take note of issues that constituents are struggling with, and identify if there are any areas in which I can better support my constituents.
My team and I will be the only people to see your responses, unless you have indicated that you are happy for us to use your words to support our case. The data will be stored in a password protected zip folder. The data will be collected promptly after submission and all responses will be deleted after 6 months.
For further information, please see the privacy notice:
If you have any questions with regards to this questionnaire, please do not hesitate to email me at angela.crawley.mp@parliament.uk.
To keep up to date with my work as MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, you can sign up to my newsletter here.
