Universal Credit: Watchdog Warns of Cost of Further Delays

Ministers risk racking up a multi-billion pound bill if IT systems to run their flagship benefits reforms are not introduced on time, a watchdog claims. The National Audit Office says there are no contingency plans to deal with any delays in the digital service being created to deliver universal credit. The programme is already six months behind schedule, the NAO said. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has insisted it is being rolled out in a "careful and controlled" way. But, in a new report, the NAO warned that a further six-month delay could mean a £2.3bn loss in the societal benefits expected from moving people into work. Download a copy of the report from the NAO website.