The introduction of Universal Credit

Universal Credit (UC) was originally due to be phased in over four years between 2013 and 2017, but it is running way behind schedule and is not now expected to be fully implemented until 2022. 


The Work and Pensions Committee reported that, by December 2016, there were 430,000 people claiming UC compared to the DWP’s predicted six million claimants if UC had been fully rolled out, meaning the government had reached just 7% of its original target.


When you claim UC depends on your circumstances, where you live and whether you are making a new claim or are being transferred from a benefit that is being replaced. UC is now available to single people throughout Great Britain and available to couples and families in some Jobcentre areas (see www.gov.uk/guidance/jobcentres-where-you-can-claim-universal-credit).


The charity Turn2us has produced a detailed timetable for the roll-out of UC on its website.
 This explains that: 


• the full UC Digital Service will continue to be rolled out to more Jobcentres in the UK during 2017 and will be open to all new claims from all claimant types of working age;


• it will also include anyone who is currently on existing benefits or tax credits and has a change of circumstance that would naturally trigger a new claim to UC, meaning the entire household affected would move to the full service; 


• anyone currently claiming UC through the live job centre service will be moved onto the full Digital Service; 


• the government expects the national roll-out to the full Digital Service to be completed by September 2018; and 


• from July 2019, it will begin migrating all remaining existing benefit claimants to the full UC service. This part of the process is intended to be completed by March 2022.