My @guardian story: Hundreds of thousands who lost jobs in pandemic denied universal credit, official figures show https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit
It's striking how increasing numbers of middle-income and professional people are forced by the Covid crisis to turn to the benefits system for the first time: it turns many away, or surprises them by its paltry support https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit
Interesting to see what the political and policy
impact of the middle-class experience of universal credit will be. An airline pilot on UC told me: “I did not realise that the social security system in this country was in such bad shape.” Not untypical. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit
impact of the middle-class experience of universal credit will be. An airline pilot on UC told me: “I did not realise that the social security system in this country was in such bad shape.” Not untypical. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit
The £16k savings rule - you are ineligible for universal credit if you have more than that - is a cause of real anger. Savings were for tax bills, or mortage deposits or retirement nest eggs: "Penalised for doing the right thing" is a not uncommon response https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit
It's fair to say that universal credit's new middle class "customers" are looking with envy and disbelief at the far more generous income support insurance schemes enjoyed by some of their some of their European peers https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit