Commenting on DWP data showing that 977,966 Londoners are now claiming Universal Credit,
Commenting on Department for Work and Pensions data showing that 977,966 Londoners are now claiming Universal Credit, London Assembly Labour Economy spokesperson, Marina Ahmad AM said:
“This is a sad but not surprising reflection of the government’s economic failures across the country. Low wages, insecure work and a cost-of-living crisis have pushed almost a million Londoners onto Universal Credit. More people than ever cannot find stable, well-paid work to support themselves and their families so have been forced to use government benefits instead.
“We know that the low amount of these payments keeps people in punishing levels of poverty. 90% of claimants are unable to afford the essentials – meaning they are being forced to skip meals, go into debt, and dread their next bill.
“The uplift worked during the pandemic and was a lifeline to many. The government must lift the amount paid through Universal Credit and must address the cost of living crisis so that fewer Londoners are forced into poverty.”
Notes to editors
- Marina Ahmad is the London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark and the London Assembly Labour Group spokesperson for the economy
- Universal Credit statistics regarding the number of claimants in London are below and can be found in dataset Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 14 September 2023.