Hundreds of workers in Ceredigion are claiming Universal Credit as their low wages are not enough to live on.

Charities say that the “shocking” number of in-work applicants is due to low wages and housing costs.

According to Department for Work and Pensions figures, there were 104 employed claimants in Ceredigion on Universal Credit in July 2018 – about 42 per cent of the total.

Overall, there were 248 people on Universal Credit in Ceredigion, 17 fewer than in the previous month.

Universal Credit is a new benefit, slowly being rolled out by the Government, which replaces six legacy benefits and merges them into one payment.

It includes income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, housing benefit, child tax credits, and working tax credits.

The idea of Universal Credit was to simplify the benefits system, however problems with its introduction have reportedly forced benefit claimants into hardship.

The plan was to roll it out by 2017, but a series of management failures meant the government has put off the completion until 2023.

Pritie Billimoria, from Turn2us, a charity which helps people who are struggling financially, said it was “shocking” that such a high number of workers earn so little that they are forced to rely on benefits.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday