RESIDENTS could lose "lifeline" funding as the Government prepares to axe a pandemic-inspired benefits boost.

Data from the Department of Work and Pensions shows that in May, there were there were 11,986 Universal Credit claimants in Braintree – 4,946 of whom were in employment.

That figure has more than doubled since February 2020 – shortly before the coronavirus pandemic hit – when there were 5,865 people in the area claiming the benefit.

Since March 2020, Universal Credit claimants have been receiving an extra £20 a week to help them mitigate the financial impact of Covid-19.

Despite calls to make the uplift permanent, Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed recently that it would be scrapped this autumn as it had always been intended as a temporary measure.

Six former Conservative work and pensions secretaries wrote to the Government to urge ministers to rethink the contentious cut, which is likely to impact nearly six million people in the UK.

The introduction of Universal Credit in 2012 followed a radical overhaul of the UK's welfare system that saw six benefits axed in favour of a single payment model designed to help those looking for work or on a low income.

A Government spokesperson said: “Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap.

“Our focus now is on our multi-billion pound Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.”