Today’s NAO report on Universal Credit has this crucial stat- 49% of claimants had no earnings in the 3 months before they applied.
We know @citizensadvice that many people are in financial difficulty before they apply for UC & advance payments don’t bridge the gap for everyone. https://twitter.com/NAOorguk/status/1281490321843658752
Advance payments are loans that must be repaid- this means many people have to choose between having no income for 5 weeks or struggling to make ends with reduced UC payments for months.
When we recently surveyed 500 people who had applied for UC during the pandemic, 14% reported they couldn’t afford essentials like food and heating while waiting for their first payment.
That’s why we’re calling for advance payments to be made into grants temporarily & long-term reform to UC to allow people to receive their first regular payment no later than 2 weeks after claim.
You can follow @karenmbarker.
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