The Universal Credit system has been “overwhelmed” by claimants as close to half a million people rush to get support.
Despite Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiling a raft of measures aimed at keeping people in employment, some 477,000 claims have been made since Monday last week as vast gaps open up for the self-employed.
Today a TLE investigation revealed that the stimulus unveiled by the Chancellor amounts to little more a “smoke and mirrors” debt obligation that could see big banks profiteering from the uncertainty.
The latest Universal Credit figures seem to put the proof in the pudding, demonstrating how little faith businesses have in the proposals.
Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson has claimed one of his constituents was faced with a 30,000-plus queue when trying to log a claim in the system as he warned waiting time could grow longer unless the Government intervenes immediately.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday he said: “When I mentioned that the Universal Credit system was overwhelmed, the minister may not have quite taken on board the point I was raising.
“A self-employed worker sent me a screenshot of their attempts to use it just yesterday.
“There were 33,383 people ahead of them in the queue to use the claim section of the website.
“Unless this is resolved, people who need money right now, limited that is in Universal Credit, simply won’t be able to get the money through the system.”
Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin courted controversy this week after he told his staff he will pay them until the pubs last opened, but there will be no further payments until the Government fulfils its promise to cover 80 per cent of the wages of workers affected.
The announcement, which has been echoed elsewhere, could have led to thousands of people flooding the government’s system as people struggle to get by.
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