Government rethink Universal Credit proposals
Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions Amber Rudd is delaying the vote on controversial proposals to move people over from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) to Universal Credit (UC). The so-called 'managed migration' vote has been pushed back in favour of a pilot involving just 10,000 people who currently need support from the benefits system.
Responding to this, Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind said:
“We hope this announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) represents an important shift in their plans for moving three million people over to Universal Credit (UC). So far, the Department’s plans have placed all responsibility for the move solely on the shoulders of those who have already been through a rigorous and stressful assessment process. There are hundreds of thousands of people with mental health problems yet to move across to UC and we have been clear that pushing ahead with these plans would be catastrophic for people who are too unwell to navigate the complex and often bewildering process of making a new claim.
“We don’t yet know what this pilot will look like, but we hope this signals that the Government is finally listening and is willing to take disabled people’s fears seriously - giving people who receive support from the benefits system the financial security they need to live full and independent lives. The only way to ensure people are moved over to UC safely is by ensuring they won’t be left without income because they weren’t able to make a new claim for a benefit which they’ve already been found to be entitled to.”
- Read more about this story in The Observer (Sunday 6 January 2019)
