RESIDENTS in a town have said they are “forced” to live off just £30 a month from Universal Credit and use food banks because of unemployment.
Disgruntled locals in Huddersfield say that they are struggling to pay the bills amid the cost-of-living crisis.
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Energy, water, home insurance, motor insurance, and council tax are all set to rise next month as people already grapple with rising costs.
Will has been claiming Universal Credit for the past six months, having previously worked as a bricklayer.
The 21-year-old has been looking for work in the construction industry but hasn’t had any luck.
Will told YorkshireLive: “I’m looking for a job all the time in construction.
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“I am a qualified bricklayer, with level 1 and 2 qualifications. I have been looking for work for ages and getting nowhere.”
Will says he receives £265 per month which had to cover bills such as gas, electric and water.
But he described living on benefits as “hard” and said he and his partner “just get by.”
Once the food bills are taken into account, he is left with around £30 to £40 to cover anything else he might need.
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Meanwhile, another woman said that claiming Universal Credit was a “humiliating” experience.
The single mum, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “In January I was struggling and didn’t have money for gas or electric.”
“I felt forced to go back to work. I feel forced because I have no money and no food.
“I applied for and received Universal Credit but it’s not enough. I have a mortgage and two children.”
The mum said that trying to get food parcels and being asked questions by staff about income was particularly embarassing.
She added: “No matter how hard you work, you don’t get nowhere. I work as a care worker and get £11 per hour.
“I do 10 to 12 hours a day and double shifts.
“There’s no help for the average person.”
Meanwhile one dad, originally from Poland, is claiming benefits at the moment after suffering a knee injury.
But the father-of-two says he cannot wait for his operation to be done so he can get back to work and start earning his own money again.
Greg, who has lived in Huddersfield for nearly 20 years, has done various jobs including cleaning, working in a warehouse, and most recently as a machine operator.
He described finding work as “very easy” – but it might mean taking whatever is on offer.
“It’s easy to find a job. If I start looking it’s easy. It’s very easy – you go to work agencies.
“They give you some. I worked a few times picking and packing. I worked as a machinist for £17 per hour. I worked in a warehouse. If you really want to work you can find a job straight away.”
Greg says he is “unhappy” on benefits and wants to get back to work as soon as he can to earn more cash.
Universal Credit
Here’s everything to know about Universal Credit:
With the next tax year starting in April, many price increases will kick in soon and bill payers need to be prepared.
The DWP is currently transferring people from old-style “legacy” benefits to Universal Credit in a move known as managed migration.
The Government said the vast majority of people making the move will have done so by the end of March 2025.
But there will be scenarios where people making the move are worse off on Universal Credit compared to their previous benefit.
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In this case, the Government is issuing some, but not all, transitional payments to top up Universal Credit payments to match previous benefit entitlements.
And new regulations brought in on February 14 mean five groups of people transitioning to Universal Credit will now see their transitional payments topped up by up to £246.
