Poverty experienced by the working class has been reality even before the pandemic and the pandemic has magnified the issues the disadvantaged face on a daily basis. There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a huge impact on the economy of the country and has widened the wealth divide. The shut down of businesses, the furloughed workforce and the loss of financial security are contributing factors to the rise of poverty in the UK. With the rise of unemployment comes the increased reliance on the Welfare State resulting in the traffic of applications for benefits such as Universal Credit. The increase of demand and applicants places added pressure on the benefit system and insufficient measures are put in place to lessen the 5 week waiting time for the first payment of Universal credit delaying entitlement. Calls for further change with the Welfare state system means that less families and individuals will have to suffer financial stress, directly troubleshooting this will promote economic equality.
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