6 May, 2020 Open access
6 May, 2020 Open access
Department for Communities management information shows a tenfold increase in claims at height of the outbreak in mid-March
New Northern Ireland statistics highlight an 'unprecedented' number of universal credit claims have been since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has said.
In new Management Information related to Universal Credit Claims, Payments and Advances, the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland sets out the number of universal credit claims made between 2 March 2020 and 26 April 2020 -
Analysing the figures set out in the tables, the Department for Communities says that -
Commenting on the new statistics, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said -
'The number of claims to Universal Credit during this crisis has been unprecedented and demonstrate the scale of the issues people are facing surrounding work. From the start of this crisis, my priority has been to ensure that the most vulnerable and those most in need across our society receive all the support and financial help that is available to them ...
Despite these unprecedented numbers, my Department was able to make 99.1 per cent of all payments due over that period on time. I am very proud of the work my staff are doing and would like to thank them again for the way they have responded to this increase in work, at a time when they themselves have had to adjust to the necessary measures we have introduced to ensure they are protected as key workers.'
For more information, see Minister publishes information on impact of COVID-19 on Universal Credit Claims from ni.gov.uk
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