Budget 2021: 'My benefits top-up is a lifeline - don't take it away'
By Russell Hotten
image copyrightEster de Roij
image captionFreelance camerawoman Ester de Roij's last commission was cancelled just before lockdown in March
"Twenty pounds doesn't sound much - but it's been a lifeline," says Ester de Roij. "When you haven't got much, taking away a little is a lot."
The freelance wildlife camerawoman is referring to a highly-charged debate over Universal Credit (UC) and plans to trim payments by £20 a week.
Last April, Chancellor Rishi Sunak introduced a £20 uplift to UC as part of his economic support measures, with Ester one of about six million people benefitting.