MORE than 1,300 people in Helensburgh and Lomond were claiming Universal Credit in mid-November, according to the latest government figures.

A report from the Department of Work and Pensions says that 1,327 people claiming the benefit at the Helensburgh Jobcentre were among 6,126 on Universal Credit (UC) across the whole of Argyll and Bute.

The figure is a further increase on the 1,186 UC claimants in Helensburgh in mid-May of last year – and almost double the 677 people who were claiming the benefit at the Charlotte Street office just before the pandemic gripped the UK.

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The numbers appeared in a report to a pre-agenda meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group, held last week.

The report also outlines the help available for people looking for work across Argyll and Bute, including a recently-started Job Finding Support service.

A DWP spokesperson says in the report: “Job Finding Support (JFS) is designed to help those who have recently become unemployed, who may not need extensive support but would benefit from personalised support and advice to help them re-enter employment quickly and to improve the likelihood of securing sustainable paid employment.”

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