Hundreds of teenagers in Bristol are on Universal Credit.
Analysis of the latest Government figures reveals 636 youngsters aged between 16 and 19 received the six-in-one benefit in August.
That works out as around one in every 35 teens in that age range across our city.
The figures also revealed 80.8 per cent of the Bristol youngsters on the benefit were unemployed.
In North Somerset, 285 teens aged between 16 and 19 were on Universal Credit as of August, while South Gloucestershire had 205.
Matthew Geer, campaigns manager at poverty charity Turn2us, said: “The fact that teenagers are having to claim Universal Credit highlights how many families across the UK are struggling on low incomes.
“There are a number of reasons for under-18s to need to claim Universal Credit, such as a disability, a caring role, having a child of their own, or if they are without parental support.
“What is vital is that we don’t demonise young claimants, but support them holistically.
“Ultimately, we all want to live in a society that empowers the next generation to develop their skills and enable them to be financially stable.”
What is Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is a monthly payment to help people struggling with living costs.
It replaced the previously separate child tax credit, housing benefit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance and working tax credit.
But the scheme - first introduced in 2013 - has been plagued by management failures, IT blunders and design faults.
It meant the rollout - which was supposed to have been completed by 2017 - fell six years behind schedule.
Earlier this year, the then-DWP Secretary Amber Rudd admitted that the rollout of Universal Credit had been linked to rising food bank usage.
Answering a ministerial question in the House of Commons, Rudd said: “It is absolutely clear that there were challenges with the initial rollout of Universal Credit, and the main issue that led to an increase in food bank use could have been the fact that people had difficulty accessing their money early enough.”
Across Great Britain there were 98,563 teenagers aged between 16 and 19 who received Universal Credit in August this year.
That works out as around one in every 29 people in that age range.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was contacted for comment.
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