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Universal credit scheme suffers further delays Universal credit scheme suffers further delays
(2 months later)
Further delays to the government's flagship universal credit scheme were revealed on Wednesday by the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, who said the scheme would only be extended to six more jobcentres in October, and the client base would remain single jobseeker's allowance claimants, the simplest ones to process.Further delays to the government's flagship universal credit scheme were revealed on Wednesday by the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, who said the scheme would only be extended to six more jobcentres in October, and the client base would remain single jobseeker's allowance claimants, the simplest ones to process.
He also refused to commit to all new claimants on working age benefits being on universal credit by April 2014, as originally planned.He also refused to commit to all new claimants on working age benefits being on universal credit by April 2014, as originally planned.
He said: "I will not be set by the artificial date of April 2014." Instead, he said there would be "significant volumes" of new claimants moving on to universal credit through 2014.He said: "I will not be set by the artificial date of April 2014." Instead, he said there would be "significant volumes" of new claimants moving on to universal credit through 2014.
The scheme since April this year has covered only four jobcentres across the country, and only the most simple claimants to process.The scheme since April this year has covered only four jobcentres across the country, and only the most simple claimants to process.
Universal credit is the government's flagship welfare reform designed to make work pay by integrating the six major working age benefits.Universal credit is the government's flagship welfare reform designed to make work pay by integrating the six major working age benefits.
Speaking to the work and pensions select committee, the welfare minister Lord Freud admitted there had been a change of approach since the original autumn 2011 timetable. He said: "We have gone massively over to testing and building systems around it. It is really important that we have systems that cope with the most vulnerable people."Speaking to the work and pensions select committee, the welfare minister Lord Freud admitted there had been a change of approach since the original autumn 2011 timetable. He said: "We have gone massively over to testing and building systems around it. It is really important that we have systems that cope with the most vulnerable people."
Duncan Smith said: "We are trying to land this at the right time and not according to an artificial timetable." He insisted the scheme was still able to meet its final target of completion by the end of 2017.Duncan Smith said: "We are trying to land this at the right time and not according to an artificial timetable." He insisted the scheme was still able to meet its final target of completion by the end of 2017.
There have been repeated delays to the scheme due to a variety of technical and administrative problems. Howard Shiplee, the Universal Credit director general, refused to say how many people would be on Universal Credit by the end of the year, saying that would be "a hostage to fortune".There have been repeated delays to the scheme due to a variety of technical and administrative problems. Howard Shiplee, the Universal Credit director general, refused to say how many people would be on Universal Credit by the end of the year, saying that would be "a hostage to fortune".
Dame Anne Begg, the Labour chair of the committee, said the department was moving at "snail's pace". She claimed the department had promised there would be a national rollout this autumn, and not just in 10 jobcentres, but in 1.5% of the jobcentres in the UK.Dame Anne Begg, the Labour chair of the committee, said the department was moving at "snail's pace". She claimed the department had promised there would be a national rollout this autumn, and not just in 10 jobcentres, but in 1.5% of the jobcentres in the UK.
She also said there was no evidence the government was testing more complex claimants.She also said there was no evidence the government was testing more complex claimants.
Freud countered that the government wanted to track how those already enrolled on universal credit managed as their cases became more complicated, such as when they married, had children, or found work. Lord Freud said: "We will be getting more and more complicated situations, and our objective is to track those very specifically as we get them. The reason we are testing every element we can is because there are lots of different groups and we need to understand how each of them works before we ramp it up."Freud countered that the government wanted to track how those already enrolled on universal credit managed as their cases became more complicated, such as when they married, had children, or found work. Lord Freud said: "We will be getting more and more complicated situations, and our objective is to track those very specifically as we get them. The reason we are testing every element we can is because there are lots of different groups and we need to understand how each of them works before we ramp it up."
Duncan Smith also said jobcentre staff across the country would be trained in the "claimant commitment" setting out the responsibilities of individuals receiving the new benefit, and 6,000 new computers would be installed so people could access online services.Duncan Smith also said jobcentre staff across the country would be trained in the "claimant commitment" setting out the responsibilities of individuals receiving the new benefit, and 6,000 new computers would be installed so people could access online services.
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