Universal Credit is ‘failing thousands of people’, says head of Citizens Advice

The charity’s chief executive Gillian Guy says there are problems with the delivery of the scheme and is asking the Government to delay its rollout

The Government is being urged to delay the rollout of the new Universal Credit system as it is “failing thousands of people”.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of the charity Citizens Advice, says there are problems with both the design and delivery of the scheme. She added: “By 2022, seven million families in the UK will receive Universal Credit, which is replacing six existing means-tested benefits. We welcome efforts to simplify our benefits system. But Universal Credit is already failing thousands of people.

“Every day at Citizens Advice we see people being pushed into desperate circumstances by problems with the new system. Despite this, a dramatic increase in the number of people affected is planned for October. The Government’s ‘test and learn’ approach can’t end up being an experiment with people’s lives. When they see problems with the new system, they need to stop and fix them.”

“That’s why we’re calling on the Government to pause the Universal Credit rollout and fix the problems with both design and delivery.

“We already see people who are struggling to make ends meet, falling into serious debt and on the verge of eviction because of problems with Universal Credit.”

read  more here: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/universal-credit-failing-thousands-people-13297674

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