Report

Beyond the safety net?

Think tank: Bright Blue

Author(s): Anvar Sarygulov

October 3, 2021

This report from UK think tank Bright Blue looks at informal sources of support for Universal Credit claimants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bright Blue’s new analysis reveals the extent to which Universal Credit claimants have received informal financial support from family and/or friends during the course of the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, compared to the rest of the population. The original analysis compares the financial experiences of two groups during the first year of the pandemic: those who do not claim Universal Credit and those who are claiming Universal Credit or are applying for it in the month of the survey, at four points: May 2020, July 2020, November 2020, and March 2021. This is done using data from the Understanding Society Covid-19 Study.