Universal credit claims in Northern Ireland have increased tenfold over the last three weeks

In addition, Communities Minister reports that 12,500 disability benefit review awards have been extended due to the coronavirus outbreak

There has been a tenfold increase in universal credit claims in Northern Ireland over the last three weeks, the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has said.

Delivering the Northern Ireland Executive daily COVID-19 briefing yesterday, Ms Hargey said - 

'We are facing unprecedented increases in our work load and our benefit phone lines have been dealing with a record number of calls. 

In the last three weeks, there have been 45,000 new claims to universal credit, which is a tenfold increase; and 38,000 mitigation awards and 12,500 personal independence payment, disability living allowance and attendance allowance review awards have been extended. 

Since the 16 of March, jobseekers allowance and employment support allowance intake has doubled and the demand for Discretionary Support has tripled, with almost 10,000 calls per day. All of this demonstrates the scale of the issues people are facing during this very challenging time.'

Ms Hargey's statement is available from communities-ni.gov.uk