Most people on Universal Credit behind on bills or facing debt, DWP's own research shows

Charities have heard from "single parents skipping meals" because the benefit from the DWP is so low.

Most Universal Credit claimants are behind on bills or facing debt, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)'s own research has found. Charities have heard from "single parents skipping meals" because the benefit from the DWP is so low.

Research published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) shows that 88 per cent of claimants claimants have identified that they had fallen behind or missed payments, bills or credit commitments. Labour says the report, published by the DWP last week, was “hidden” by the previous government.

The report is one of 31 documents ordered to be published by Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary. Sumi Rabindrakumar, head of policy and research at Trussell, said: “The DWP’s own research is just the latest evidence that we urgently need to update our social security system to make it fit for purpose, fulfilling its most basic function of protecting people from debt and deep hardship.

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“Incomes are simply not enough to cover the essentials for too many people claiming universal credit. Our recent YouGov research indicated that more than half of universal credit recipients who are subject to government deductions have run out of food in the past month and not had enough money to buy more.”

Rabindrakumar said: “We know the government has difficult choices to make. But continued inaction on social security also has a price. The deep levels of hardship that millions of people are experiencing are damaging people’s mental health, their ability to seek and sustain work, and family life.

“The UK government must prioritise introducing a protected minimum floor in universal credit in the autumn budget, establishing a level below which basic universal credit support cannot fall. It is an affordable way to start fixing the foundations of our social security system, tackling unaffordable debt repayments and benefit cap reductions, and ensuring people keep as much of their payments as possible to cover the essentials.”

Shelley Hopkinson, head policy and influencing at Turn2us, says: “Our social security system should provide genuine financial security, not push people deeper into hardship. At Turn2us, we hear heartbreaking stories every week – single parents skipping meals, families struggling to keep warm, and carers having to choose between paying bills and buying food.

“The government must listen to people’s experiences and use the upcoming budget to introduce a protected minimum amount for universal credit, that is safe from excessive deductions and ensures that families are not trapped in debt.”