Lockdown impact sees Tayside surge in Universal Credit claims

Almost 700 Dundonians have signed on for Universal Credit in the past month, as the economic impact of lockdown tightens.

According to new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, 689 people signed on for the benefit in Dundee between May and June.

Angus has also seen a rise in claimants, with 452 new people signing on to the welfare scheme.

Universal Credit claims in Perthshire also rose by over 500 in the past month.

The steep rise in claims has been attributed to the economic impact of Covid-19, which has seen many lose their jobs or be put on furlough.

Despite efforts to kickstart the economy, many businesses have still struggled to pull in revenue.

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Moira Cambridge, operations manager for the DWP, said: “This is very much to do with Covid-19.

“These increases are due to the exceptional circumstances that we are currently in.

“Perthshire has been especially badly hit due to its large tourist industry, however places like Angus have been less badly affected due to its agriculture sector.”

Despite the large rise in cases, Moira is sure that the DWP is more than equipped to help those in need.

“This is what we do,” she said. “Helping people get back to work.

“It’s our job to make sure that people have money to put on the table for their family and also deal with the current situation.

“We’re very focused on coaching people on how to apply for jobs, and we give a great deal of care to what we do.”

The department have also adapted to working with social distancing, using digital methods of meeting with clients.

Moira said: “A lot of things are being done virtually now.

“We’ve been using Zoom and Skype for Business to help people work on their interview skills and brush up their CVs.

“We’re also trying to help people recognise their transferable skills and how they could be used.

“I can’t stress enough the amount of support we are providing. We are here to support people, that’s what we do.”