Universal Credit: Where Are We Now?

For the last two years, October 2013 has been billed as the day when Universal Credit really takes off.  The plan was that between next month and April 2015 no fewer than 4.5 million households would be receiving UC.  Following a ‘resetting of the timetable’ the number of people claiming that benefit during the same period is expected to be fewer than 20,000. The Government has stated publicly that UC is still being rolled-out nationwide from October. That’s stretching the credibility of what’s actually happening. Basically, six new Jobcentres are getting UC between October and April, to join the four which already administer it.  However, even in these ‘Pathfinder”’ areas it will be almost exclusively new single, childless job seeking claimants who will be added to the system.  Read more on the Homeless Link website.