One in six new universal credit claimants forced to skip meals

Claimants report struggling to pay bills or put any money aside amid coronavirus crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMany people claiming universal credit for the first time during the pandemic were unable to put aside enough cash to save £10 a month, eat healthily or regularly, or pay bills because the benefit payment was inadequate to meet basic living costs, a study has found.A survey of the experiences of thousands of people who signed on after losing their job under lockdown concludes that even with the temporary £20 a week Covid-19 uplift many struggled to bridge the gap between benefits and living costs without borrowing from family, running up credit card debt, or using food banks. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/19/new-universal-credit-claimants-forced-skip-meals-covid #benefits #coronavirus #uk_news #universal_credit #society #public_services_policy #politics