6,280 claim Universal Credit at Asylum Road the highest at any job centre; Durkan calls for Universal Basic Income

This was the highest number of claimants in the north.

New data released by the Department for Communities show that 6,280 people were claiming the support from the Asylum Road jobs centre at the start of the summer.

A further 4,060 claimants were registered at the Lisnagelvin JBO bringing the total number in Derry city to 10,340. The authors of a new analysis of claims show the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdown sparked a huge rise.

“Since Universal Credit fully rolled out in NI the number of new claims had been quite steady at an average of around 7,000 each month. However, March and April 2020 saw the number of claims increase to 35,440 and 20,560 respectively. The number of claims dropped again in May 2020, but were still higher than previous levels at 10,070.

“This large increase in claims is a result of the restrictions that were introduced throughout the country as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” they state.

SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan said: “The post-COVID landscape is one nobody could have envisioned but one which undoubtedly requires a strengthened welfare system.

“Again, it underscores the critical need for a Universal Basic Income to provide security in the face of wider economic insecurity.”