Changes to Universal Credit Minimum Floor Will Stay in Place

Today’s spending review set out government spending for the next 12 months. The Comprehensive Spending Review was intended to be three years but faced with the pandemic, the Government decided it was only possible to make credible spending plans for one.

One important point for the self employed is that the Government’s temporary relaxation of the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit claims will remain in place.

This means that the amount the DWP expect you to be earning in any one month will not be taken into account when your Universal Credit entitlement is calculated. You can read a more detailed description of how the Minimum Income Floor on Citizens Advice’s website.

Funding for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

Without the spending relating to Covid-19, DCMS funding remains pretty much the same with the main spending increases in the department being on broadband infrastructure, reflecting the infrastructure-led recovery priorities from the Government.

Included in this year’s settlement for DCMS is:

• £150 million on cultural and heritage infrastructure, including through the Cultural Investment Fund and Museums Infrastructure Fund, enabling the development of British Library North and continued investment in the Heritage High Streets programme
• £100 million of capital investment for DCMS-supported bodies working across culture, heritage, and sports
• £320 million for galleries and museums
• £150 million in 2021-22 for upcoming major events, including the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Festival UK and the celebrations for the Queen’s Jubilee.