THE number of people claiming the Universal Credit benefit has risen by 8,000 despite lockdown measures on businesses relaxing in the past few months, new figures show.

About 27,400 Brighton and Hove residents claim the benefit as of July 9, new statistics by the Government Department for Work and Pensions say.

That makes for an 8,000 rise in claimants compared with April 9, when 19,074 people were claiming the benefit.

Of the 27,401 claiming the benefit, 14,035 are able to work and are currently looking for work, the Department for Work and Pensions said.

In April that number was 10,350.

Department for Work and Pensions spokesman Bruce Campbell said it is not unexpected that Universal Credit claimants have risen despite businesses reopening.

The Argus: About 14,000 of the city's 27,401 claimants are currently looking for work, according to the Department for Work and PensionsAbout 14,000 of the city's 27,401 claimants are currently looking for work, according to the Department for Work and Pensions

“It’s great news that businesses are starting to reopen and great news for those existing staff that are able to return to work,” he said.

“Broadly speaking, many of those staff would have been part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and only a small number would have claimed out of work benefits.

“On that basis, it would make sense that we haven’t seen a relative downward trend in Universal Credit numbers.”

The new figures came as the UK collapsed into its largest recession on record.

The coronavirus lockdown meant the British economy shrank by 20.4 per cent between April and June, the biggest slump of any major global economy.

The recession is the country’s first since the 2008 financial crisis.

The official figures confirm the UK was the hardest hit of all the major developed economies, even beating Spain’s 18.5 per cent decline and double the contraction seen in the United States.

The Argus: Yesterday it was announced the UK had fallen into its first recession since the 2008 financial crisisYesterday it was announced the UK had fallen into its first recession since the 2008 financial crisis

But Government data shows a recovery began after the worst of the recession in April, with the economy bouncing back by a better-than-expected 8.7 per cent in June as lockdown restrictions eased.

This followed upwardly revised growth of 2.4 per cent in May.

The Office for National Statistics said the economy was still a long way off from recovering the record falls seen in March and April.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the figures “confirm that hard times are here”.

He said: “Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will.”

But he told media there were some promising signs for the economy after the June figures showed growth as businesses began to reopen.

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund