Growing Concerns Over Universal Credit Roll-Out

Submitting evidence to the Scottish Government consultation, CIH Scotland has welcomed the planned introduction of certain additional flexibilities for Universal Credit claimants in Scotland. These include giving applicants the option of having their payments made twice monthly and having payments of rent made direct to landlords. CIH Scotland says social landlords are being forced to commit substantial internal resources to support tenants with their claims while demand for financial support from alternative sources such as the Scottish Welfare Fund and referrals to food banks are also on the rise. CIH Scotland has also raised concerns that private landlords appear increasingly reluctant to let property to Universal Credit claimants. Read more on the CIH website.

Universal Credit Pilots Issue Digital Access Warning

Three projects testing aspects of the government’s universal credit welfare reform have warned there are serious flaws in the way people access the scheme.  At the CIH Scotland’s annual conference councillors from the three local authority pilot schemes in the country warned online applications must not become the preferred method for accessing the benefits system, and alternative methods must not be made more difficult to force people to go digital.  The government wants the system to be ‘digital by default’, with claimants managing their payments online. ‘It takes around ninety minutes to complete an online JSA application form,’ said Julie Hunter of North Lanarkshire Council. ‘People can’t fill out a thirty six page form on a mobile phone.’   Read more on Inside Housing.