At least 300,000 applications for universal credit during the first four months of pandemic were deemed ineligible because those trying to claim had over £16,000 in savings or their partners were deemed to earn too much under strict means-tested welfare rules, according to official figures obtained by the Labour party.
Many who were turned down for universal credit – or who qualified for a reduced level of support that covered only a fraction of their monthly outgoings – have struggled to pay their rent, mortgage and other bills after their household income dipped dramatically as a result of redundancy or the collapse of their business.
The ending of the job retention scheme has triggered fears of a living standards crisis for middle-income families who are forced by the Covid-19 economic crisis to turn to the benefit system in large numbers for the first time. Read more via TheGuardian