Housing Chief Predicts 'Acceleration' Of Universal Credit Claims

A housing association chief executive believes the Government may look to "accelerate" the transition of benefit claimants on to Universal Credit in a bid to achieve its projected welfare savings.  Nick Atkin chief executive of Halton Housing Trust, said the Government could look to change the criteria against which claims are reviewed - providing the new IT system is up and running - in order to accelerate people on to Universal Credit and achieve its projected welfare savings. Mr Atkin said: “We’re starting to put together a plan for Universal Credit implementation being accelerated. If you look at the Chancellor’s statement around welfare reform – and a further £10bn savings – you can see that one of the ways they could achieve them is by changing the criteria by which claims are reviewed.  I suspect any minor change will trigger a review of their claim and that will put them on to Universal Credit. So there won’t only be the hit of under-occupation for social tenants next April, but it’s likely Universal Credit will be accelerated as well.”    Read more on 24dash.