Stafford Labour Sponsored Sleepout

A few members of Stafford Constituency Labour Party will be "sleeping out" for one cold December night as part of their 'Fix Universal Credit' Campaign. The aim of sleeping out is to highlight the effects Universal Credit is having on people in Stafford, and people across the country. New claimants having recently been made unemployed face a 6 week delay before receiving any payments. Problems with the Universal Credit application process and computer systems mean that many claimants are facing delays of up to 13 weeks. The delay is causing severe hardship, with individuals struggling to pay bills, buy food and keep up rent repayments. Many are relying on food banks, handouts from friends and relatives and some are even facing threats of eviction. The proceeds from this event will be donated to the Stafford Foodbank, House of Bread. The sleep out will commence on December 8th at 8.30pm with local Labour Party members meeting outside Stafford's Combined Court in Victoria Square with a view to bedding down for the night somewhere close by. The members taking part will include Steph Gee, Abigail Reed, Eleanor Tristram, David Barron, Kay Garbett and Daniel Cadden. They will be joined by House of Bread's Will Morris.