THE number of people claiming Universal Credit in the Dudley borough increased by 15% in one month following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, figures have revealed.

Data released by the Department of Work and Pensions shows there were 29, 780 Universal Credit claimants across the borough as of May 14.

This is an increase of 4,053 on the 25,727 people who were claiming the benefit in April, a rise of 15.8%

Neighbouring Sandwell saw a bigger rise, with the number of claimants increasing by 23.6% between April and May, from 27,966 in April to 34,562 the following month.

It comes as three million individual claims for Universal Credit were made to the Department of Work and Pensions across the country from March 1 to May 26 as the Covid-19 crisis hit jobs and incomes.

Meanwhile, the total number of all Universal Credit claims in the West Midlands rose by 21% in May to 434,764, with the combined total of claimants across the Black Country rising by by 20% to 130,624.

The benefit can be claimed by people on low-incomes and the self-employed, as well as people out of work.