Universal Credit: Rollout Speeds Up But Leaves Problems In Its Wake

A parliamentary committee has re-launched an inquiry into Universal Credit after receiving evidence of the problems encountered by tenants from councils. Here are two of the problems that need addressing urgently:

1.Rising arrears are putting landlords off - The main council housing bodies say 85% of tenants they surveyed on UC are in arrears compared to 39% of tenants overall.

2.UC does not work for all types of housing - Some problems are due to design – such as the waiting days rule, where households have to wait seven days before they are eligible for benefits. Some are unintended, such as the delays and administrative errors in issuing direct payments to landlords for tenants who struggle to pay their rent. Other issues are due to UC being inherently problematic for accommodation for homeless families. UC is not designed for temporary accommodation, but the DWP has insisted that homeless families should still claim housing support through UC. Read more on the Shelter blog.