Make work pay, tackle child and in-work poverty, end benefits cap by strengthening the welfare system demand local Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats have made bold proposals to invest £6 billion per year to strengthen the welfare system over the next Parliament. This forms part of the party's ambitious plans to build a brighter future.

Their Newcastle North candidate Nick Cott pointed out that Labour in Newcastle volunteered to be an early roll-out for the Tories' bungled Universal Credit scheme. Tory austerity has left a fifth of UK citizens in poverty, unable to afford even the most basic essentials. Liberal Democrats plans to strengthen the UK's welfare system will protect the most vulnerable and help to build a brighter future here and across the nation.

He said : "The Liberal Democrats will tackle this crisis by committing £6 billion per year to strengthen the welfare system over the next Parliament. Liberal Democrats proposals will prioritise tackling child poverty by abolishing the cruel two-child limit for Universal Credit and ending the unfair benefits cap.

"A Liberal Democrats government will make work pay and tackle in-work poverty, by using part of the Remain bonus - the £50 billion of extra funding that would be generated by stopping Brexit - to restore Work Allowances and introduce a second-earner Work Allowance. As a Liberal Democrats MP I would back my government to invest in boosting the Local Housing Allowance by linking it to average rents in Newcastle as well as every other areas.

"For too many people in the UK today, working hard and playing by the rules is no longer enough to secure a decent life. Millions of people's lives have worsened under the Conservatives. Since 2015 they have bungled the roll-out of Universal Credit, made brutal cuts to benefits and introduced their senseless two-child limit that is fuelling child poverty.

"The Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit and invest billions of pounds from the Remain bonus in building a brighter future for those struggling in our society. We will fix our broken welfare system to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities regardless of where they come from."