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Universal Credit system is ‘failing’ people, says Citizens Advice
The roll-out of Universal Credit should be paused as the system is “failing” people, Citizens Advice has said.
A new report published by the charity yesterday found that 57% of claimants are having to borrow money while waiting for their first payment.
It said 39% are waiting on the first payment for longer than the six weeks it should take.
Claimants are also struggling with the applications process, the charity said, with 30% of the study’s respondents having to call the Universal Credit helpline more than 10 times and some waiting more than 30 minutes to get through.
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“Universal Credit is already failing too many people, pushing them into debt and leaving them without the means to make ends meet,” said Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice.
“The government needs to pause plans to accelerate the roll-out of full-service Universal Credit this autumn and devote the time and resource needed to tackle the key problems which mean the system is not working.”
The charity said measures such as removing the seven-day waiting period at the start of a claim, introducing an online system for booking appointments and making the helpline free of charge should be introduced before the large scale roll-out.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the study, which was based on a survey of 792 Citizens Advice clients, did not reflect the experiences of the 500,000 people claiming Universal Credit.
“The vast majority of claimants have told us they are satisfied with Universal Credit. We are rolling out Universal Credit in a gradual, safe and secure way, and in the rare cases where issues arise, we work closely with local authorities and landlords to support people when they need it,” a spokesperson for the DWP said.
“Universal Credit is designed to mirror the way many people in work are paid, and we have budgeting advice and benefit advances available for anyone who needs extra help.”
In April, Newcastle City Council said 85% of its tenants receiving Universal Credit had fallen into rent arrears and that the system was putting “vulnerable residents at risk of destitution and homelessness”.
Citizens Advice estimated that more than seven million households will be claiming Universal Credit by 2022, including 52% of families with children.
