Benefits should be hiked for millions of Universal Credit claimants, according to a poll published today.
An online YouGov survey of 1,647 voters for The Fabian Society “reveals a groundswell of support for increasing benefit payments”, the think-tank said.
The Fabians' 80-page report, 'Going with the grain – how to increase social security with public support' report, says: “A strong social security system is essential to prevent hardship and achieve shared prosperity in Britain.
“The growth of in-work poverty at a time when the minimum wage has been rising is proof that reforms to markets cannot deliver alone.”
Researchers created a series of scenarios and asked whether people thought fictional claimants should get extra help.
Some 77% said a severely disabled person who may not work again should get a rise, 75% wanted higher payments for an adult caring full-time for a disabled relative, 58% demanded more support for a single parent caring for a baby and 56% wanted more money for an adult who is sick and disabled but may be able to work in one or two years.
For situations where the claimant was already in work, 71% wanted more funds for a disabled adult who can work part-time earning the minimum wage, 68% called for extra cash for a single parent with two pre-school children who works part-time on the hourly minimum, and 65% said a single parent with two children who works full time on the minimum wage deserved more.
Report co-author Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society, said the study “shows that people in Britain want most families who are eligible for Universal Credit to get more money”.
He added: “The public particularly want to help disabled people, young adults, working lone parents and people caring for babies and disabled relatives.
“These groups make up 4.6 million households or three quarters of everyone who will get Universal Credit.”
Mubin Haq, chief executive of Standard Life Foundation, which funded the research, said: “The majority of the public are not convinced our social security offers the safety net it should be providing.
“It has too many holes and is unfair and insufficient.
“The pandemic has shown many of us are vulnerable and we need a more comprehensive package of support.
“Our politicians need to catch up with public thinking, giving people a fair chance to get back on their feet and helping people when they fall on hard times.
“The cost to government spending is significant, but the human cost of inaction is even greater.”
