WEST Devon’s MP has welcomed measures in the budget aimed at making work pay for low income people.

Sir Geoffrey Cox said the change to the Universal Credit ’taper’ to allow those starting work to keep more of their benefit would ’make a real difference’ and ’help working families with the cost of living’.

It comes after the Government slashed the £20 ’uplift’ on the benefit accorded temporarily during the coronavirus crisis.

He said: ’I welcome this budget that will make a real difference to people in Torridge and West Devon, helping working families with the cost of living, supporting businesses recovering from the pandemic, and delivering better public services.

’The Government is committed to helping with the cost of living by making work pay – including a tax cut for low-income families by reducing the Universal Credit taper rate so that people keep more of what they earn and raising the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour. These changes will give a £1,000 pay rise to two million of the lowest paid.

’The Chancellor has also listened to the case made by Devon’s MPs that our retail, hospitality, and leisure sector needs further support, with a 50 per cent business rates cut next year. Local pubs will get a boost from cuts to beer duty, and fuel duty has been frozen.

’Those are good measures and I applaud them, however, it will be necessary soon for the Chancellor to show that he can bring back discipline into the public finances and restrain public expenditure in an inflationary environment.

’In the meantime, this is a budget that delivers for working people and lays the foundations of a stronger post-pandemic economy.’

The increase in the minimum wage - which the Government terms the National Living Wage - will come into force at the start of April next year for all people aged 23 and over.