More than 100,000 households are now claiming Universal Credit. Statistics releas by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there were 112,180 people claiming Universal Credit on 13 August 2015, up from 89,357 on 9 July. Ministers originally forecast that 100,000 would be claiming the benefit in May.
Of the 112,180 claiming as of 13 August, just under a third (31%) were in work, with 69% unemployed.
The number of people claiming Universal Credit, which combines several benefits into one payment, has risen gradually from 14,170 last September (see graph below). Eventually, the DWP hopes eight million households will be claiming the benefit.