My @guardian story: Hundreds of thousands who lost jobs in pandemic denied universal credit, official figures show https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

It& #39;s striking how increasing numbers of middle-income and professional people are forced by the Covid crisis to turn to the benefits system for the first time: it turns many away, or surprises them by its paltry support https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

Interesting to see what the political and policy
impact of the middle-class experience of universal credit will be. An airline pilot on UC told me: “I did not realise that the social security system in this country was in such bad shape.” Not untypical. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

The £16k savings rule - you are ineligible for universal credit if you have more than that - is a cause of real anger. Savings were for tax bills, or mortage deposits or retirement nest eggs: "Penalised for doing the right thing" is a not uncommon response https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

It& #39;s fair to say that universal credit& #39;s new middle class "customers" are looking with envy and disbelief at the far more generous income support insurance schemes enjoyed by some of their some of their European peers https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied-universal-credit">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...