Coronavirus: London's commuter towns see sharp rise in benefit claims

featured image

Guildford

Image caption

In June there were practically 37,000 people in Guildford on Universal Credit – a rise of 148%since March.

London’s commuter towns have actually seen the highest rate of people moving onto Universal Credit because the coronavirus lockdown started, BBC research study has discovered.

Guildford, Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead have actually had disproportionate rises in individuals declaring the advantage.

Nearly 5.5 million individuals are now claiming benefits across Britain – an 81%increase since March.

Professionals stated the drop in office-based working in the capital has actually affected employment in commuter towns.

Some of those who have actually looked for Universal Credit were forced to do so because they did not get approved for other government support, such as the furlough plan or assistance for the self-employed.

BBC analysis of main postcode information from the Department for Work and Pensions shows that Guildford in Surrey had the sharpest increase in the proportion of people moving onto the working-age benefit.

In June, there were almost 37,000 individuals in the town on Universal Credit – a rise of 148%given that March, according to the latest figures.

Two of London’s external boroughs, Harrow and Kingston-upon-Thames, have actually also seen boosts far in excess of the national average.

Laura Gardiner, research director at the Resolution Structure think tank, which looks into living requirements of those on low-to-middle earnings, stated the great deals of workers in London who have actually still not returned to their offices are adding to the demand for Universal Credit.

” Those employees might have the ability to continue working from home, however lots of the industries around them – the coffee shops, dining establishments, the retail sectors – individuals who take a trip into the city to offer services to those workplace workers, for that reason have absolutely nothing to do,” she stated.

” Those people tend to reside on the borders of cities, and this is specifically severe in London.”

Places with the highest rate of people moving onto Universal Credit given that March

  • Guildford – 148%
  • Harrow – 142%
  • Kingston-Upon-Thames – 138%
  • Hemel Hempstead – 129%
  • Redhill – 128%
  • Stevenage – 127%
  • Luton – 126%
  • Bromley – 124%
  • Ilford – 120%
  • North West London – 117%

Source: BBC analysis of Department for Work and Pensions data between March and June

Linford’s story: ‘Every job I had actually was cancelled’

” I looked at the self-employment scheme, however I didn’t qualify as I had only simply started up within the past 12 months, so the only choice was Universal Credit.

” The money from Universal Credit was no place near sufficient to cover my individual costs – never ever mind my service costs.

” I was being pestered as well by messages on the Universal Credit system to apply for work, to look for work, to participate in job fairs.

The increase has actually been driven in large part by people losing their tasks or seeing their hours cut.

” A lot of retail tasks have actually gone,” stated Peter Curran, who leads the project.

” Guildford is a very entrepreneurial environment, and a lot of little businesses get developed,” he states.

Learn More

https://covid19globalcases.com/coronavirus-londons-commuter-towns-see-sharp-rise-in-benefit-claims/

Comments