Guardian readers will be familiar with the difficulties many of our most vulnerable citizens are experiencing from the introduction of universal credit, the government’s new “all-in-one” social security benefit for people who are in and out of work. From January 2019, universal credit will be scaled up to reach millions more households through a process described as “managed migration”. This process will allow for existing social security support to be terminated, with individuals bearing the responsibility for making a successful new universal credit claim within a fixed period of time.
One in five claims to universal credit currently fail because claimants find the process too complex. Based on this rate, about 400,000 households could see their universal credit claim fall through and be left without essential support. Some will then have no income whatsoever.
Organisations supporting people and families on a low income are gravely concerned that universal credit is not yet working well enough to be implemented on the scale envisaged, and also that the government’s proposed approach will risk pushing vulnerable people further into poverty. Before thousands more families move on to universal credit, the government must ensure that ongoing problems with the system are addressed and that households can be moved over without a gap in their income.
Alison Garnham Chief executive, Child Poverty Action Group
Mike Cherry National chairman, Federation of Small Businesses
Paul Farmer Chief executive, Mind
Trish Pickford Head of welfare, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution
Paul Noblet Head of public affairs, Centrepoint
Sophie Castell Director of relationships, RNIB
Katie Ghose Chief executive, Women’s Aid Federation of England
Polly Neate Chief executive, Shelter
Rick Henderson Chief executive, Homeless Link
Amanda Batten Chief Executive, Contact, the charity for disabled children
Emma Revie Chief Executive, The Trussell Trust
Bea Orchard Head of policy, campaigns and research, St Mungo’s
• It has been my misfortune to have been unemployed for some months, during which time I have witnessed the blatant failures of the current assessment system used by theDepartment of Work and Pensions in relation to those who are the most needy in our society. I myself am not hungry or indeed homeless but for the generosity of acquaintances.
I have witnessed mothers of young children being turned away from jobcentres without the wherewithal to feed or clothe their families, because they do not meet hitherto unknown criteria or lack a document.
The lack of compassion shown by staff is disgraceful, as is their superior attitude. To use a cliche, you would think it was their own money.
I have worked for over 40 years, paid my dues etc, but am horrified by the way we treat the disadvantaged in our society. Of course we should ensure that our finances are distributed fairly but I cannot accept that children being hungry and disadvantaged in 2018 is any way acceptable.
I regret that over the next few months, as more people are transferred to this system, much more suffering will be forced on to those who are least able to cope, and the suffering caused is inexcusable.
Jonathan P Sykes
Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire
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