The “best way out of poverty…is through work”, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said in response to calls for legislation to ensure Universal Credit will cover essentials such as food, household bills and travel costs.

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) told the Commons: “Research from the Trussell Trust shows the devastating truth though, more than half of people receiving Universal Credit ran out of food in January and couldn’t afford more, and 2.4 million Universal Credit claimants have fallen into debt because they couldn’t keep up with essential bills.

“Will the Secretary of State back their joint campaign with the Joseph Rowntree foundation and commit to legislating for an essentials guarantee in Universal Credit to reduce food bank use and ensure everyone has a protected minimum amount of support in order to afford life’s essentials, yes or no?”

In his reply Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “This Government recognises that the best way out of poverty, the best way to address the circumstances that (Ms Blackman) describes is through work, and that is why the Chancellor reduced taxation making work pay evermore, it’s why the national living wage is to be increased by close to 10% as of this April, following a similar increase around this time last year.”