MORE than half of people receiving universal credit (UC) ran out of food last month and were unable to afford more, according to new research published today.

The report by anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust found that 780,000 of those on UC had to resort to using foodbanks in the last month.

It revealed that over one in five claimants were unable to cook hot food as they could not afford to use their oven, and 52 per cent were either behind on bills and credit commitments, or finding it a struggle to keep up with them.