DWP Glasgow Universal Credit claimants among worst hit by benefits deductions

Universal Credit claimants in Glasgow are among the worst affected by deductions in the UK, new figures have revealed.

Around two million people in the UK are having £62 on average shaved off their benefits every month in order to repay loans and debts. Approximately 45 per cent of people claiming Universal Credit had money taken off their payments in February.

Of this number, 43 per cent were deductions made in order to pay back advances given to bridge the five-week wait before the first Universal Credit payment. As reported by The Mirror, advocates are campaigning for this five-week gap to be scrapped.

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The new figures reveal that claimants in certain parts of the UK have been more severely affected by the deductions than others. Middlesbrough, Blackpool South, and Knowsley are the worst hit — with 60 per cent, 59 per cent, and 58 per cent of all claimants having deductions respectively.

Looking to Scotland, Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Glasgow East, and Motherwell and Wishaw all place in the top 10 worst affected. Around 58 per cent of Paisley and Renfrewshire South Universal Credit claimants, and 57% of Glasgow Eas, and Motherwell and Wishaw claimants have seen deductions.

Director of the charity Feeding Britain Andrew Forsey commented: “There remains a lot more work to be done if people are to have the money they need each month to put food on the table.”

Chris Stephens MP, who obtained the figures, stated: “With the cost of living being so high, it’s beyond time that the principle of ‘grants over loans’ was applied to new Universal Credit claims”.

The DWP is permitted to reclaim as much as 25 per cent of a claimant's Universal Credit payment in order to repay loans and debts. The can include advances, rent, gas, electric, water and council tax arrears, child support, and old tax credit overpayments.

Formerly, the maximum percentage the DWP could withhold was 40, but this was reduced to 25 per cent in April 2021. This February, the average deduction was £62, a falling from £79 the previous year.

A UK Government spokesperson commented: “We have reduced the amount that can be taken through deductions twice in recent years to no more than 25%, doubled the time period over which they can be repaid and stopped utility companies from being able to increase payments automatically given the rise in energy bills.

“This strikes a balance between people keeping the significant proportion of their payment and making sure priority debts are paid, such as child maintenance which is vital to parents raising children.

“We know people are facing rising prices due to global pressures, which is why we’re providing targeted help of at least £1,200 to eight million low income families while supporting people to earn more, including a £300 a year tax cut this month and allowing Universal Credit claimants to keep £1,000 more of what they earn."

The 100 places in the UK most affected by Universal Credit deductions

KEY: Area (Percentage of claimants having a deduction - number of claimants having a deduction). Figures from Feb 2022.

• 1. Middlesbrough (60% - 7,800 )
• 2. Blackpool South (59% - 6,700 )
• 3. Knowsley (58% - 7,300 )
• 4. Paisley and Renfrewshire South (58% - 4,100 )
• 5. Redcar (57% - 4,800 )
• 6. Hartlepool (57% - 6,600 )
• 7. Liverpool, Walton (57% - 7,400 )
• 8. Glasgow East (57% - 5,600 )
• 9. Birkenhead (57% - 6,500 )
• 10. Motherwell and Wishaw (57% - 4,800 )
• 11. Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (56% - 5,300 )
• 12. Easington (56% - 5,200 )
• 13. Liverpool, West Derby (56% - 6,000 )
• 14. Lanark and Hamilton East (56% - 4,100 )
• 15. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (56% - 4,000 )
• 16. Airdrie and Shotts (56% - 4,100 )
• 17. Rutherglen and Hamilton West (56% - 4,900 )
• 18. Bradford South (56% - 6,300 )
• 19. Bootle (56% - 7,000 )
• 20. Glenrothes (55% - 4,900 )
• 21. West Dunbartonshire (55% - 4,500 )
• 22. Worsley and Eccles South (55% - 5,500 )
• 23. South Shields (55% - 5,000 )
• 24. Stockton North (55% - 5,000 )
• 25. Great Grimsby (55% - 5,800 )
• 26. Glasgow South West (54% - 5,000 )
• 27. Dundee West (54% - 4,700 )
• 28. Glasgow North West (54% - 4,400 )
• 29. Rotherham (54% - 5,400 )
• 30. Blackpool North and Cleveleys (54% - 4,600 )
• 31. Sunderland Central (54% - 5,300 )
• 32. Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (54% - 4,000 )
• 33. Leeds East (54% - 6,300 )
• 34. Paisley and Renfrewshire North (54% - 2,900 )
• 35. Wansbeck (53% - 3,600 )
• 36. Houghton and Sunderland South (53% - 4,400 )
• 37. St Helens South and Whiston (53% - 5,100 )
• 38. Preston (53% - 5,900 )
• 39. Kingston upon Hull East (53% - 4,700 )
• 40. Nottingham North (53% - 6,600 )
• 41. Darlington (53% - 4,400 )
• 42. Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (53% - 4,400 )
• 43. Linlithgow and East Falkirk (53% - 4,500 )
• 44. Derby South (53% - 7,100 )
• 45. North Ayrshire and Arran (53% - 4,500 )
• 46. Rhondda (53% - 3,300 )
• 47. Walsall North (53% - 5,800 )
• 48. Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (53% - 4,900 )
• 49. Livingston (53% - 4,000 )
• 50. Cynon Valley (52% - 3,300 )
• 51. Dundee East (52% - 3,400 )
• 52. Glasgow North East (52% - 5,200 )
• 53. Washington and Sunderland West (52% - 4,500 )
• 54. Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (52% - 3,800 )
• 55. Kingston upon Hull North (52% - 5,300 )
• 56. Wallasey (52% - 4,400 )
• 57. Bishop Auckland (52% - 3,800 )
• 58. Leeds West (52% - 5,300 )
• 59. Falkirk (52% - 4,100 )
• 60. Heywood and Middleton (52% - 5,400 )
• 61. Doncaster North (52% - 5,000 )
• 62. Inverclyde (52% - 4,000 )
• 63. Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (52% - 3,500 )
• 64. Sheffield, Heeley (52% - 4,200 )
• 65. Wigan (52% - 4,500 )
• 66. Sedgefield (52% - 3,600 )
• 67. Garston and Halewood (52% - 4,500 )
• 68. Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (52% - 6,300 )
• 69. Blyth Valley (52% - 3,500 )
• 70. Gateshead (52% - 5,400 )
• 71. Leeds Central (51% - 8,800 )
• 72. Kilmarnock and Loudoun (51% - 4,500 )
• 73. Stockport (51% - 4,100 )
• 74. Ochil and South Perthshire (51% - 3,200 )
• 75. St Helens North (51% - 4,100 )
• 76. Bolton North East (51% - 5,200 )
• 77. Leigh (51% - 4,200 )
• 78. Halton (51% - 5,100 )
• 79. Telford (51% - 4,500 )
• 80. Wythenshawe and Sale East (51% - 5,900 )
• 81. North Durham (51% - 3,800 )
• 82. Aberavon (51% - 3,100 )
• 83. Wentworth and Dearne (51% - 4,500 )
• 84. Hyndburn (51% - 4,600 )
• 85. Cardiff West (51% - 4,300 )
• 86. Scunthorpe (51% - 4,200 )
• 87. Swansea East (51% - 4,200 )
• 88. Salford and Eccles (51% - 6,100 )
• 89. Dunfermline and West Fife (51% - 3,500 )
• 90. Halifax (51% - 5,600 )
• 91. East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (50% - 3,100 )
• 92. Bradford East (50% - 7,200 )
• 93. Burnley (50% - 5,200 )
• 94. Rochdale (50% - 6,100 )
• 95. Blaenau Gwent (50% - 3,300 )
• 96. Stockton South (50% - 3,300 )
• 97. Vale of Clwyd (50% - 3,200 )
• 98. Hemsworth (50% - 3,800 )
• 99. Birmingham, Northfield (50% - 6,100 )
• 100. Stirling (50% - 2,500 )

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