‘Thousands’ of teenagers receiving Universal Credit

THOUSANDS of teenagers in Wales are on Universal Credit, new figures have revealed.

Analysis of the latest government figures show that 6,087 youngsters aged between 16 and 19 received the six-in-one benefit in August this year.

That works out as around one in every 23 teens of that age range across the country.

Campaigners said the findings reflected the huge number of people “struggling” on low incomes.

The controversial benefit is a monthly payment to help people struggling with living costs.

It replaced the previously separate child tax credit, housing benefit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance and working tax credit.

But the scheme – first introduced in 2013 – has been plagued by management failures, IT blunders and design faults.

It meant the rollout – which was supposed to have been completed by 2017 – fell six years behind schedule.

Across the nation, the situation was worst in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen.

In both places, one in every 16 teens aged between 16 and 19 was on Universal Credit as of August this year.

Neath Port Talbot, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport had the nextworst rates (one in every 17).

Ceredigion, on the other hand, had a rate of just one in every 65 people in the age range on Universal Credit.

Earlier this year, the then-DWP Secretary Amber Rudd admitted that the rollout of Universal Credit had been linked to rising food bank usage.

Answering a ministerial question in the House of Commons, Rudd said: “It is absolutely clear that there were challenges with the initial rollout of Universal Credit, and the main issue that led to an increase in food bank use could have been the fact that people had difficulty accessing their money early enough.”

Matthew Geer, campaigns manager at the poverty charity Turn2us, said: “The fact that teenagers are having to claim Universal Credit highlights how many families across the UK are struggling on low incomes.

“There are a number of reasons for under-18s to need to claim UC, such as a disability, a caring role, having a child of their own, or if they are without parental support.

“What is vital is that we don’t demonise young claimants, but support them holistically.

“Ultimately, we all want to live in a society that empowers the next generation to develop their skills and enable them to be financially stable.”