The computer system used to run Universal Credit cannot
cope with the “complicated” lives of thousands of benefits claimants, officials
have admitted. Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, was forced
to deny that the Coalition’s flagship welfare reform is a “debacle” despite
officials conceding that the IT system was unable to cope with couples and
families. In a heated session in front of the Commons’ work and pensions select
committee, he defended the scheme, saying: “There is no debacle on Universal
Credit.” He said that much of the criticism about the project’s financial
failings had been “bogus nonsense”. Read more on the Daily Telegraph website.
