Third of UK thinks social security is not enough to live on

Over a third of the UK (38%) does not think current benefit levels are enough for people to live on, according to national poverty charity Turn2us.

The release of the research marks the start of a 100 day countdown to the cut, when Universal Credit claimants will lose £20 a week from their benefits. The removal of the lifeline, expected in September 2021, could see half a million people, including 200,000 children, pulled into poverty overnight.

These statistics should raise red flags for the government’s levelling up agenda. Both the North East (49%) and the North West (44%) are the two regions with the largest number of people believing that current benefit levels are inadequate.

Additionally, more people in Northern Ireland (42%), Scotland (39%), the South West (39%), Wales (44%) and Yorkshire & the Humber (45%) do not think benefit levels are enough to live on, compared to those who think it is enough.

Thomas Lawson, Chief Executive at Turn2us, said:

“A decade of caps, cuts and freezes to the UK’s social security payments has left it one of the least generous in Europe. Many of us already struggle to pay for the bare essentials. If the government forges ahead with its cut to Universal Credit, it could plunge many more into hunger and debt. This will not help our economy recover from the pandemic; let alone keep families afloat.

“We urge the government to not just keep the £20 benefit increase, but to make it permanent and extend it to legacy benefits. Failure to do so could have a detrimental impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.”

Turn2us’ research also shows that 84% of the country thinks that anyone of us might need welfare benefits at some point in our lives. The fact that so many people are just one missed paycheque away from a financial crisis should act as all the evidence the government needs to invest in this vital lifeline.

The charity is working in partnership with a coalition of other organisations and lived experts as part of the #KeepTheLifeline campaign. Previous findings from the campaign show that the vast majority of the British public (59%) want the uplift to be made permanent.

(Table 1: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Current benefit levels are enough for people to live in)