Huge rise in benefits

More than a third of all claims made since Universal Credit was introduced have been made during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) say there were 4.5million claims for the benefit between March 13 last year and January 14 this year .

This represents 39% of the 11.4million claims made since Universal Credit was introduced in 2013.

The latest quarterly figures take the total number of people on UC to six million as of January 14 – a 98% rise from March 2020.

The latest available figures also show there were 4.9million households on UC in November – up 2.2million since March.

Some 59% of households receiving payments were homes without children in November, up from 54% in March.

STORY:

Covid testing difficulties could mean many secondary school pupils don’t return on March 8.

Yvonne Ranson: It should be that if you refuse to test your child then they stay at home and do online work.

Gail Seymour Elliott: It should be a phased return anyway.

Andrew Marc Halverson: It’s if you don’t want to keep your child safe by having the tests then you home school them yourself. Not up to the school to provide online education when they are open.

Sarah Ann: I’ve had an email for mine to return 10th - after 3 tests the week leading up.

Daniel Besford New:

Feel sorry for the kids me like missing out on so much.

Kathy Haq: This is another reason why teachers should have been vaccinated then they could have felt safer helping to test pupils.

Kay Orrell Henson:

Most teachers have been vaccinated started

beginning of February.

Kathy Haq: Maybe those with medical conditions or in the older age groups but I know many teachers, none of whom have been vaccinated and even the unions have been asking for teachers to be classed as “priority” but Hancock and Williamson both said that they were not at high risk.

STORY:

For the first time in 32 year’s Sunderland Airshow was grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 – but will it be going ahead in 2021?

Trisha Bernstein:

Surely the residents are aware that there is massive financial investments by the council to the area. Without events like this to bring money into the area there’d be much less investment.

Paul Emerson: Living in Seaburn (Fulwell) I selfcombust on Airshow weekend. You should see the hordes coming down Sea Road carrying four packs of Fosters and pushing buggies filled with bottles of WKD. No more airshow! I've emailed Saint Greta Thunberg to try and stop it. I'm sick of hearing the Top Gun theme at 300 decibels.