DWP reveals universal credit numbers

The Department for Work and Pensions revealed the numbers of people to claim the new credit, which combines several working-age benefits into one payment made direct to the household.

The statistics relate to the first four pathfinder areas, in Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Warrington and Wigan. Universal credit is only currently being paid to applicants with ‘simple’ cases – new claimants, who are single, non-home owning, without children and without disabilities. The figures showed three in four of the applicants to make claims between April and 30 September are under 25 years old and two-thirds are male.

Further pathfinders began in Hammersmith & Fulham on 28 October and in Rugby and Inverness on 25 November. Pathfinders in Harrogate, Bath and Shotton are due to begin by spring 2014.

Inside Housing revealed last month that a number of landlords in the first pathfinders had experienced poor communication from the DWP.