Almost half of people receiving Universal Credit ran out of food within the last month, the Trussell Trust reports
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The Trussell Trust has today published new research, showing the
stark consequences of the inadequacy of Universal Credit across the
UK. The anti-poverty charity is urging the Government to take
urgent action in the upcoming Budget, to provide immediate relief
for people facing hunger ahead of another difficult winter. The
research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust,
revealed that an estimated 1.6 million people (22%) claiming
Universal Credit have been...Request free trial
The Trussell Trust has today published new research, showing the stark consequences of the inadequacy of Universal Credit across the UK. The anti-poverty charity is urging the Government to take urgent action in the upcoming Budget, to provide immediate relief for people facing hunger ahead of another difficult winter. The research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust, revealed that an estimated 1.6 million people (22%) claiming Universal Credit have been forced to use a food bank in the last 12 months, and almost half (48%) ran out of food in the last month and did not have enough money to buy more. Work is also not providing a reliable route out of hardship, with 68% of working households in receipt of Universal Credit having gone without essentials, such as basic toiletries and prescriptions, in the last six months. This is only slightly lower than the level among people receiving Universal Credit who are not in work (79%). Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) of people receiving the payment said their financial situation has impacted on their ability to find or go to work in the last three months. The charity says this is likely down to being unable to afford fuel or public transport costs. The design of the social security system means that many people have to take out loans from the Government to cover the five-week wait for Universal Credit, which leads to deductions being taken from their payments. Currently, almost a third (32%) of people claiming Universal Credit who are subject to benefit deductions are having to repay an advance payment, that was taken to cover the five-week wait. Deductions play a significant role in driving people into deeper and deeper hardship. Just over half of people (53%) facing deductions from their payments shared they were experiencing hunger but didn't have enough money for food, significantly higher than the number of people on Universal Credit but not facing deductions (32%). Many people who claim Universal Credit do not think their current situation will improve going forwards, with four in ten (40%) people receiving the payment expecting their ability to afford day-to-day necessities to get worse in the next three months. Additionally, over two fifths of people claiming Universal Credit (46%) are currently facing a constant struggle or having real financial problems in keeping up with their bills and credit commitments, and almost a fifth (18%) are currently behind with their gas or electricity bills. Nearly seven in ten (69%) people receiving Universal Credit are having to borrow money or use credit to tide them over. Around 1.3 million (18%) people claiming Universal Credit are estimated to have been at risk of homelessness in the last 12 months, and the research reveals the lack of support available for people experiencing this level of hardship. Just over two thirds (68%) of people claiming Universal Credit who were at risk of homelessness in the last 12 months, stated that they did not receive any support from their local authority. Almost two thirds (63%) of people living in privately rented homes said that the shortfall between benefits and their housing costs is impacting their ability to afford other day to day costs. Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, said: This research lays bare the stark truth about the current crisis of hardship across the UK. The inadequacy of Universal Credit means that people are being pushed to the doors of food banks because they simply do not have enough money for food. These findings show clearly that people cannot wait for an economic turnaround to improve their current situations. With the five-week wait and Government loans pushing people into debt before they've even begun receiving Universal Credit, many people are facing an uphill struggle from the outset, exacerbated by the inadequacy of the support they eventually receive. We urge the Government to prioritise providing immediate relief to people facing hunger and hardship in the upcoming budget, as well as ensuring vital services continue to be provided in local communities. Food banks are facing another difficult winter, and the Government must act now to avoid people being pushed further into hardship.” Jane Baker, Project Lead, Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank said: “Many of the people we support at Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank are in receipt of Universal Credit. We are here to provide emergency food and support to people in our community, but we are increasingly seeing people in need because Universal Credit simply doesn't provide enough to cover the essentials. In the words of one person who needed our help “By week 3, things are tight, by week 4, there is nothing left”. Ahead of another difficult winter, we need urgent action from the government to provide immediate relief for those facing hardship in our community.” Layla, who has needed the support of food banks said: “I had to stop working due to my health, but then my disability payments were stopped. It didn't make sense, because my conditions hadn't changed but as a knock-on effect the rest of my benefits were reduced drastically. I could just about cover my housing and bills, but it wouldn't stretch to food. When I realised, I didn't have enough money to buy the essentials that I needed, it was soul destroying. I didn't have any options, I didn't want to have to go to the food bank, to actually accept that help was very hard. Not having enough money is so stressful, you have so little control over your income when you're on benefits and the system needs a complete overhaul so people can actually afford the essentials, we all need. It's not right that people are left struggling, the benefits system needs a complete overhaul.” The Trussell Trust says that the new data further demonstrates the need for immediate support for people facing hardship and are urging the Government to prioritise the following urgent actions in the Autumn budget. Limiting the impact of deductions by introducing a minimum floor in Universal Credit, meaning payments cannot be pulled below a set level. As well as an extension of the Household Support Fund and extending support for private renters. -ENDS- Notes to editors:
- an online survey by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust of 2,077 adults (16+) currently claiming Universal Credit. Fieldwork was undertaken 29 July – 23 August 2024. The figures have been weighted by length of time of claiming Universal Credit, marital/ parental status, gender, region, age, and work status and are representative of all UK adults claiming Universal Credit.
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