THE number of people making benefit claims has soared in Cheshire West and Chester as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Figures revealed by the Office for National Statistics have revealed for the first time the scale of the devastating economic impact Covid-19 has had on the region.

Although the latest ONS data only goes up to April 9, it still reveals there has been an 88 per cent rise in the number making benefit claims such as Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit compared to the previous month, before the effects of the coronavirus lockdown kicked in.

Latest figures show there were an estimated 10,130 people (4.9 per cent) making benefit claims in April, compared to 5,380 (2.6 per cent) in March.

Of those claiming benefits, the figures say 5,970 were men and 4,160 were women.

Breaking down the figures further, in the City of Chester parliamentary constituency there were an estimated 3,140 people making benefit claims in April, up 83.6 per cent on the previous month's 1,710.

For Ellesmere Port and Neston, there were an estimated 3,060 people making benefit claims in April, up 78.9 per cent on the previous month's 1,710.

For Eddisbury, the number of those claiming benefits more than doubled, with an estimated 2,350 people claiming in April, up 105 per cent on the previous month's 1,145.

And in Weaver Vale, there were an estimated 2,685 people making benefit claims in April, up 82 per cent on the previous month's 1,475.

Nationally, the claimant count data, which covers claims for Jobseeker's Allowance and those claimants in the Universal Credit 'searching for work' conditionality, show that there was a 69.1 per cent increase in the number of claims between March and April, taking the level to over two million.

The Department for Work and Pensions reports that, since the start of the pandemic, there have been exceptional levels of demand for Universal Credit. However, not all applicants will be eligible for benefits.