Statistics on universal credit pilots, released today, show that between April 2013 and the end of February 2014, a total of 5,910 people started claiming universal credit.
Inside Housing has reported:
The take-up has been mainly among young men.
More than 60 per cent of new claimants were from under-25s with 70 per cent of them men. New claims are currently restricted to single, unemployed people without children. The number of new claims fell sharply in February from the month before.
In April 2013, universal credit was introduced for areas in the north west. Universal credit will be rolled out nationally from October this year.
The four initial pilot locations were Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Warrington, and Wigan. Six further sites – Hammersmith, Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton, have also rolled out universal credit over the past six months.
The expansion of universal credit to couples and the whole of the north west of England will start in June 2014.