THE number of people on Universal Credit in Brighton and Hove is at its highest level since January, new figures show.

Universal Credit is a monthly payment available to those on low incomes and those out of work.

The exact amount varies on your circumstances, but it is currently worth around £335 a month for a single person over 25.

According to provisional Department for Work and Pensions data from April 14, a total of 25,008 people were receiving Universal Credit in Brighton and Hove – the highest number since January.

Universal Credit has come under scrutiny in recent months, as the rising cost of basic household goods and energy has driven some to call for the rate to be increased, or for it to be made more widely accessible.

On Monday, the chief secretary to treasury, Simon Clarke, ruled out reinstating the £20-a-week uplift to the benefit, which was temporarily introduced during the pandemic – a policy recently called for by other Conservative MPs.

Last week, work and pensions minister Therese Coffee announced a £600 million plan to clamp down on benefit fraud, including plans to give new powers to DWP officers which would allow them to make arrests and seize evidence.

Figures from February show that 31 per cent of households receiving Universal Credit in Brighton and Hove are families with children, including 4,864 single-parent households.

Across Great Britain there were 5.6 million people receiving Universal Credit as of April 14, up 35,000 from January 13, but down from a peak of 6 million people in March 2021.

Provisional data shows 162,000 people started receiving the benefit in the month to April 2022, 25 per cent more than the 122,000 starts made in the month to December.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty said: “As we recover from the pandemic, we are working hard to attract jobs, opportunities and apprenticeships, raising wages and supporting the lowest paid in our city.

“The unemployment rate is coming down– from around 13,500 in 2020 to around 8,000 last year. But more than 40 per cent of those claiming Universal Credit are in work.

“Unemployment is still too high and we are taking action to tackle this.

“We are funding the Brighton and Hove Youth Employment Hub, helping 16-25 year olds with education, training and apprenticeships.

“But there are still far too many people who are experiencing extreme hardship due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“This is also due to 12 years of government inaction on wage erosion while the basic rate of benefits is at its lowest real rate for 30 years. This is causing avoidable hardship.

“As a council we are doing what we can to promote the Brighton Living Wage. This helps businesses retain valuable staff and ensures that those employees can afford to stay in their jobs.

“Last week we celebrated more than 800 businesses paying the living wage. But we still need more businesses to join the many who see the benefit of fair pay.

“Please visit www.livingwagebrighton.co.uk for further information.”