Universal Credit is in increasing demand

FIGURES have shown that the number of people in Devon claiming Universal Credit has almost doubled since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

The figure rose by 95% from 48,190 claimants in March to 93,917 in October. The latest provisional statistics from the Department of Work and Pensions have revealed the devastating impact of the pandemic on incomes in the county.

It means one in eight people of working age – from 16 to 64 – are now on Universal Credit (UC). The figure ranges from 10% in places like Exeter and West Devon, to 18% in Torbay.

Sara Willcocks, head of external affairs at poverty charity Turn2us, said: “These new Universal Credit figures clearly show the pandemic’s profound and devastating impact on people’s income, employment and how close to the cliff edge many of us are – even prior to the first lockdown.

“Recent government schemes have protected some people from the economic consequences of the pandemic, yet there’s more that needs to be done. A Universal Credit system that is fit for purpose would do much to help people recover and to loosen poverty’s grip.

“If this Government truly wants to stop people from being pulled into homelessness, hunger and debt, we urge them to increase the child element of Universal Credit, maintain the increase to Local Housing Allowance rates and urgently review policies like the Benefit Cap and Two-Child Limit.”

Nationally, there were 5.7 million people across Great Britain claiming

Universal Credit, as of October. That was nearly double the 3.0 million claimants in March.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are wholly committed to supporting the lowest-paid families and our policies, in particular those related to the pandemic, are under constant review.”

The Government added that they have recently confirmed the £20 UC uplift will remain in place until March, 2021, and that they have already taken steps to help ease the burden of UC debt repayments, including reducing the maximum deduction from 40% to 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance. From October, 2021, they will reduce this further to 25%, and will double the time available to repay an advance to 24 months.

The above table shows that, while Torbay has the highest percentage of people of working age claiming Universal Credit in Devon, other areas are seeing a fast rise, with figures more than doubling this year in many other parts of the county.