Covid count and increases in claims on unemployment benefit

Unemployment benefit claims have risen most in those areas that were already suffering from high rates of claims:

Those neighbourhoods in the highest 10% of unemployment benefit claims prior to Covid-19 have seen a 5.4 percentage point increase in claims, compared to a 2.3 percentage point increase for those in the 10% with the lowest claim rate prior to Covid-19

The size of the dots in the above map shows the percentage points increase in people claiming Universal Credit in neighbourhoods in Great Britain between August 2019 and August 2020. The colour of the dots shows the deprivation of the neighbourhoods (deciles within each nation). This shows that more deprived areas have seen a greater increase in benefit claimants.

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The Covid Recovery Commission’s work is now finished. The Secretariat was provided by WPI Strategy and the analysis conducted by WPI Economics. If you would like to find out more about their work please contact Nick@wpi-strategy.com or Matthew@wpieconomics.com