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Universal Credit
Universal Credit aims to make the welfare system simpler by replacing 6 benefits and credits with a single monthly payment if you are on a low income or out of work. It includes support for the costs of housing, children and childcare, as well as support for disabled people and carers.
These benefits include: Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit.
Some aspects of Universal Credit data can also provide insight into changes in poverty experienced by residents within the county, in particular, those people who are in work and still experience poverty. People claiming UC can also be in work.
Interactive Maps
Sub-county data can be viewed using these web maps:
Interactive Dashboard
The following dashboard summarises UC claimant data for County Durham. Key messages are contained in this dashboard and below it on this page.
Key Messages:
Data period: January 2025 to May 2026 (provisional) (In/Out of Work to April 2026); (Households to May 2025)
Note: In/Out of work data is one month behind overall UC claimant figures.
NECA: North East Combined Authority
Claimants:
- Nearly one quarter of the working age population, ( aged 16-64), were claiming Universal Credit in County Durham (23%) in May 2026 – this is an increase from 20.1% in January 2025 – (May 2026 – NECA: 22.3%; NE: 23.1%; Eng: 19%),
- The proportion of UC claimants aged 16 to 64 in County Durham, who were in work, has fallen recently from a high of 36.5% in January 2025 to 31.8% in April 2026. (April 2026 rates – NECA: 33.5%; NE: 33.5%; Eng: 39.1%),
- The proportion of UC claimants aged 16 to 64 in County Durham, who were NOT in work, has increased from 61.9% in January 2025 to 68.2% in April 2026. (April 2026 rates – NECA: 66.5%; NE: 66.5%; Eng: 60.9%).
Households:
- The number of households claiming UC increased from 58,500 to 67,600 between January 2025 and May 2026, an increase of 14.5%,
- The proportion of households claiming UC with dependent children in County Durham, decreased from 47.1% in January 2025 to 40.5% in May 2026, (May 2026 proportion – NECA: 40.5%; NE: 40.9%; Eng: 43.9%). This decrease is due to an increase in the overall number of households claiming UC and the number of households with dependent children has remained around 27,500 over this period,
- The proportion of lone parent households claiming UC with dependent children in County Durham, decreased from 34.6% in January 2025 to 29.9% in May 2026, with the number of affected households remaining around 20,200 households, (May 2026 proportion – NECA: 29.8%; NE: 30.3%; Eng: 31.4%),
- The proportion of couple households claiming UC with dependent children in County Durham, has fallen from 12.5% in January 2025 to 10.5% in May 2026, with the number of households remaining around 7,100 households, (May 2026 proportion – NECA: 10.7%; NE: 10.6%; Eng: 12.5%).