Since the government advised people to stay at home due to coronavirus nearly two million people have applied for universal credit benefits.
Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said there had been more than 1.8 million claims since 16 March, a figure she told MPs was six times higher than the normal claimant rate. In fact, she told the Commons that in one week there had been a tenfold increase in claims.
So far, approximately 8,000 staff have been redeployed to deal with the claims.
There have also been more than 250,000 claims for Jobseeker's Allowance and over 20,000 claims for Employment Support Allowance, which also highlight the increase in demand on the benefit system since the government urged people to avoid non-essential travel and contact with others to curb the spread of the virus.
Universal credit is a consolidated monthly payment for those of working-age, which replaced a host of previous benefits including income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, housing benefit, child tax credit and working tax credit.
In October 2019, there were 2.6 million universal credit claimants - just over a third of whom were in work.
The government has announced new emergency measures to tackle the current housebuilding crisis in London and unlock tens of thousands of homes.
The Chancellor has appointed growth and productivity expert Dr Anna Valero as an Industrial Strategy advisor.
The Chancellor has announced a £500 million investment package to deliver growth in the Oxford to Cambridge Corridor and cement its status as
New data from Ordnance Survey (OS) will be used to support safe walking across Great Britain.
The government has announced new financial penalties for water companies who commit environmental offences.
Grantex is the UK’s leading supplier of specialist aggregates and producer of Premium Dried Sports Sand for High-Performance Synthetic Pitches.
Creating and maintaining an outstanding synthetic pitch starts with the right foundation. Grantex premium dried silica sand is engineered to deliver exceptional performance, durability and safety across a range of synthetic sports surfaces.
Join us for the landmark 10th Anniversary of the London Build Expo, the UK’s largest and most influential construction and design show.
Retail Supply Chain & Logistics Expo returns to Excel London across 12-13 November, once again bringing together the world of logistics, supply chain, eCommerce and retail innovation for two dynamic days of opportunity.
Every sport, from grassroots football to world-class tournaments, depends on one constant: high-quality playing surfaces and well-maintained green spaces.
Bauder marked a major milestone in its UK expansion with the official handover of a brand
At Words of World, we specialise in professional translation and interpreting, d
The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) and the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) have successfully completed a groundbreaking project aimed at exploring the future of cleaning. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the cleaning industry, reflecting a shared commitment to embracing innovation with confidence.
The Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) new framework on Language Services (RM6302), dealing with translation, transcription and interpreting, is live, running from 7th May 2025 to 6th May 2028.
