Universal Credit latest progress report

Despite Ian Duncan Smith's best efforts, just 18,000 claimants were paid using Universal Credit prior to October 2014 according to a damning report from the Public Accounts Committee.

The Public Accounts Committee chair, Labour MP Margaret Hodge, commented 

"The Department for Work and Pensions has spent £700 million on Universal Credit since the programme began in 2010. However, very little progress has been achieved on the front line. Fewer than 18,000 people were claiming Universal Credit by October 2014, out of around seven million expected in the longer term – just 0.3% of the eligible population.

We hope the Department’s expectation that this number will rise significantly by February 2016 proves to be accurate."

Read the Public Accounts - Universal Credit Progress Report Feb 2015

Unsurprisingly, the government still insists the roll out of Universal Credit was 'making good progress'...

Read more comment on the PAC's assessment of the Universal Credit rollout in the Financial Times

Read more comment on the PAC's report on the Universal Credit roll out in the BBC


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