Over two million households have applied for Universal Credit since the lockdown began, figures released this afternoon show.
Since social distancing came in effect on the 16th March, The Department for Works and Pensions received 2,042,560 “declarations” – where people signed up for universal credit help because they had lost their job or had taken a big cut in pay.Since 23 March, when lockdown was formally announced, there have been 1,771,910 household applications.
The volume of advance payments has seen a large increase which coincides with the increased number of Universal Credit declarations.
From 1 March to 12 May 2020, 1,064,000 advance payments were issued. The majority of these, around 878,000, are new claim and benefit transfer advances which are available to those new to Universal Credit although an increase has also been seen in the budgeting and change of circumstances advances available to those already claiming Universal Credit.
Since the lockdown, from 16 March 2020, DWP has paid around 970,000 advance payments with around 817,000 of these for new claim and benefit transfer advances.
