Urgent warning to 820,000 people on Universal Credit
Thousands on Universal Credit could miss out on a £900 cost of living payment, a think tank has warned.
The free cash is set to be paid out in three instalments to help those on certain benefits with the cost of living.
But experts at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) are warning that 825,000 hard-up households won’t qualify for the cash.
It said this is because eligibility will depend on being on Universal Credit at least one month before each payment is due.
This means people with unpredictable earnings could miss out entirely if they happen to earn a bit more in the qualifying month.
An IFS report said: “We estimate that, as a result, in each of the three relevant months there will be around 825,000 people who earn slightly more than is consistent with Universal Credit eligibility and who, as a result of missing out on the cost-of-living payment, end up with less income than other similar people who earn less.”
