True Scale of The Universal Credit Crisis Facing The North East Is Revealed

Universal Credit has been rolled out to more than 50,000 people in the North East, new figures reveal.

The latest Government data shows the number of people receiving the controversial benefit in the region has reach 51,289.

In Newcastle, one in every 17 residents are claiming the payment, with a total of 17,090 receiving the benefit.

Out of those 11,126 are not employed while 5,964 are in active employment.

More than 10,000 people in Gateshead who are not employed are claiming Universal Credit, while 2,923 residents who are in employment are receiving the benefit.

County Durham has a total of 14,732 residents receiving the benefit, which is one in every 36 people, while North and South Tyneside has a combined total of 6,500 people claiming it.

 Sunderland has the second lowest number of claimants in the region with 2,857 - one in every 97 residents.

The lowest number of claimants is in Northumberland with just 1,923 people receiving the benefit - one in every 167 people.

Universal Credit is gradually being rolled out across the UK in stages, usually based on postcode or very specific circumstances.

The scheme was first introduced in 2013, and was intended to replace six “legacy” benefits, including unemployment benefit, tax credits and housing benefit.

It was due to be implemented across the UK by 2017, but management failures, IT blunders and design faults mean it has fallen at least five years behind schedule.

As things now stand, it will fully be rolled out to around seven million people by 2022

Universal Credit has come under fire since its inception, leaving many claimants worse off than they were on legacy benefits.

Meanwhile, flaws in the system put poorer claimants especially at heightened risk of hunger, debt and rent arrears, ill-health and homelessness.

The Trussell Trust - the UK’s largest food bank network - has reported food bank referral rates in the area where the full Universal Credit rollout has taken place are more than twice as high as the national average.

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