“Baked-in” six week wait for payment “simply does not work”

18 October 2017
The Work and Pensions Committee Chair Frank Field MP, welcomes the Government's concession to make benefits helplines free to call and questions Secretary of State on specifics of Universal Credit policy.

Watch Parliament TV: Universal Credit rollout
Inquiry: Universal Credit rollout
Work and pensions committee
'Universal Credit is supposed to mimic the world of work'
Commenting on this morning's evidence on Universal Credit from Secretary of State David Gauke MP and Programme Director Neil Couling, which included a welcome announcement that the Department of Work and Pensions has conceded to calls to make benefits helplines free to call, Committee Chair Rt Hon Frank Field MP, said:

"What stood out in the session was that the baked-in minimum six week wait for a first payment simply does not work.

Universal Credit is supposed to mimic the world of work, but I know of no one who waits six weeks or more for a paycheck.

Advance loans of two weeks' worth of payment are a sticking plaster over a far more fundamental flaw in the system.

I remain bemused as to how the DWP can proceed with accelerating this mega-reform without basic data about long waits for payment or the effects of Universal Credit on rent arrears and foodbank use, all while thinking up fixes for free school meals, the self-employed and renters on the fly.

I will be pressing for more data on how Universal Credit is operating in practice as even those pushing out the reform seem to be in the dark."

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/work-and-pensions-committee/news-parliament-2017/universal-credit--to-be-added-/