You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Half of Universal Credit claimants helped by Citizens Advice ‘in rent arrears’
Half the people seeking help with their Universal Credit claim are in rent arrears, Citizens Advice has said.
The charity said the same number of claimants are slipping behind on rent as before the wait for the first Universal Credit payment was reduced from six weeks to five last year.
Six in 10 people are taking out advances while they await their first cheque, it added.
However, research by Citizens Advice also found that fewer people are falling behind on bills or going without essentials during the wait period than in 2017, while more payments are reaching claimants on time.
One in six people are now not paid in full on time, compared with one in four previously.
READ MORE
The figures were revealed in a report published by Citizens Advice today about the 190,000 people it has helped with Universal Credit.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Half the people we help with a Universal Credit claim are still struggling to keep a roof over their heads while they wait for their first payment.
“Changes to the waiting period for first payment have improved things for many people, but our evidence shows they don’t go far enough.
“Universal Credit must continue to be reformed so it works for all claimants and leaves people with enough money to live on.”
Citizens Advice wants Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs) – where claimants’ housing cost element of Universal Credit is paid directly to their landlord – to be made more widely available, as well as more frequent payment arrangements and split payments for couples.
Only four in 10 of the claimants helped knew about APAs, while just one in six knew they could get paid more frequently.
Just 3% of claimants currently receive more frequent payments, while just 20 households in the UK receive split payments to different family members, Citizens Advice said.
The service compiled the figures through a survey of 1,193 people it helped with Universal Credit and analysis data from 21,085 people receiving debt advice.
Around 1.4 million people in the UK now receive Universal Credit, with another 1.6 million expected to move on to the new benefit system this year.
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Most people on Universal Credit are happy managing their money, but budgeting support is available for anyone who needs extra help. Many people join Universal Credit with existing rent arrears, but this falls by a third after four months.
“We will continue to work closely with Citizens Advice and other stakeholders to develop our approach in order to provide the best possible support for all of our claimants.”
