Universal Credit rollout to be DELAYED as huge changes are planned to help claimants
UNIVERSAL Credit's rollout has been delayed again as ministers make big changes to help claimants, it has been revealed.
Leaked documents reveal Brits could get paid for an extra two weeks to stop them going into debt when going on to the new system.
Millions of people were expected to start being moved over to Universal Credit from their existing benefits last year, but now they might not be put on to it until November 2020, the BBC reported.
Testing was meant to start in January, and 95,000 people each month were set to be told to move across. Now ministers are set to use the time to fix problems in the system - but the programme won't be halted or scrapped.
A series of documents revealed that a whole raft of new changes could be coming to make the transition easier for Brits - if they are signed off by the Treasury.
It comes after a revolt by Tory backbenchers who demanded that extra cash be put in to soften the blow for Brits on benefits.
Even Philippa Stroud, who used to work for the DWP, added that more money needed to be pumped in to offset cuts: "Universal Credit is the right mechanism for delivering welfare, but it needs the investment restored."
Campaigners including Citizens Advice welcomed the proposed moves, but said that it "wouldn't solve all of the problems".
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: "If implemented, the measures set out in the leaked document could reduce the risk of greater hardship as a result of moving onto the benefit.
"But Universal Credit is a complex system... The government must make changes to ensure no one is left without enough to get by."
Universal Credit aims to roll six benefits into one monthly payment, but the controversial new programme has been hit by a string of problems.
First announced in 2010, it was meant to be fully up and running by 2017 - this has now been pushed back to 2023.
The new system had also been attacked for taking weeks for claimants to get their first payment, and for stopping domestic abuse victims from leaving their partners as benefits are now only paid into one account per family.
Analysis from Labour revealed yesterday that Universal Credit sanctions hit Brits under 30 the hardest.
A Department for Work and Pensions statement said today that it would be putting back the rollout.
A spokesperson said: "We have long said that we will take a slow and measured approach to managed migration. This will not begin in January 2019, but later in the year, after a period of preparation.
"For a further year we will then begin migration working with a maximum of 10,000 people, continuing with our ‘test and learn’ approach. This is to ensure the system is working well for claimants and to make any necessary adaptions as we go.
"We will publish full plans for the next stage of Universal Credit rollout, including managed migration, in due course. Anything before that point is speculation and we do not comment on leaks."
What is an advance credit?
STRUGGLING families who can't wait for the money to cover bills can get an advance cash payments to stop them falling in to debt.
Claimants are able to get some cash within five days or on the same day they make a claim in emergency cases - rather than waiting weeks for their first Universal Credit payment.
But the upfront payment is a loan which means you'll have to pay it back.
The repayments will be automatically deducted from your Universal Credit payments after you've taken the loan.
You should ask for the advance if you don't think you'll have enough money to live on between when you apply and when you'll get your first payment.
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