Since the start of the c oronavirus pandemic, there has been unprecedented levels of demand for Universal Credit. From March 1, 2020 to May 26, 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has received 3.0 million individual claims for Universal Credit.
Over the same period, almost 1.2 million advance payments were issued. In newly released figures, 1,185,240 advance payments were issued and the majority of these, around 971,420, are new claim and benefit transfer advances which are available to those new to Universal Credit.
But there has also been an increase in the budgeting and change of circumstances advances available to those already claiming Universal Credi t.