Cost of living crisis: Record numbers in Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant are on universal credit

The figures come as a think tank calls for social security to be pegged to the cost of living.

Universal credit is a benefit available to those out of work, disabled or below a threshold of earnings and savings.

Combined with a winding-up of older benefits and reduced employment opportunities, the number of people using universal credit across England rose dramatically over the pandemic and has remained high since.

Provisional figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show 21,644 people were using the benefit in Portsmouth as of March, the most ever in the area. This was also a 7 per cent rise on 20,221 in March 2022.

In Havant the numbers were 10,479, a 10 per cent rise on 9,559 in March 2022. In Gosport there were 7,714 people, a 9 per cent rise from 7,104. These are the highest ever numbers in all three local authorities.

In Fareham there were 5,144 people, also a 9 per cent rise on 4,718 in 2021.

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Sam Tims, economist at the New Economics Foundation think tank, said ‘inadequate levels of support’ combined with low pay and insecure work was forcing people receiving benefits into difficult decisions.

In March, about 40 per cent of universal credit recipients in the area were employed.

Mr Tims urged for benefits to be benchmarked to the cost of living, to help those struggling with the current crisis.

Across England and Wales, the number of households with a member on universal credit reached a record peak in February, at nearly 4.5m across England and Wales.

This included Portsmouth, where 16,493 households were receiving the benefit, as well as 3,825 households in Fareham, 7,890 in Havant, and 5,699 in Gosport.

Anna Stevenson, benefits expert at anti-poverty charity Turn2Us, said ‘far too many households’ are still struggling financially.

She continued: ‘The government needs to make sure support is there when people need it, and that it’s the right support to get through this crisis. The longer term, systemic answer, is to build an effective social security system in which people can thrive.’

In England and Wales 112 local authorities hit their highest ever number of universal credit recipients in March – more than 30 per cent of all areas.