All
I am writing to let you know that the Social Security Advisory Committee has this morning published its latest report Universal Credit: priorities for action which identifies a number of key issues that the Committee believes need to be addressed to ensure the effective roll-out of the remainder of the Universal Credit programme.
Launching the report, SSAC Chair Paul Gray said:
"The purpose of Universal Credit is to establish a simpler, all-inclusive means-tested benefit which will be available to those both in and out of work. Its roll out began at a steady pace, starting with the most straightforward cases. The intention was to gain experience before quickening the pace and moving to more complex cases. That approach has the broad support of the Committee.
However, the Department is now reaching a stage of the project where things are likely to become more testing as cases move up the scale of complexity, for example, more convoluted and unstable family arrangements and irregular self-employed earnings. The Committee has produced several reports providing advice to the Government on issues relating to Universal Credit over the past few years and we consider it to be timely to take stock of that earlier advice to identify some of the main unresolved issues and offer ideas for the Government’s further consideration.”
The Committee’s report highlights the need for:
concerted joint action involving other Government Departments, local authorities and service providers in co-ordinating a plan of action on the passporting of benefits;
the setting up of a specialist working group to provide advice and direction as to how the self-employed can best be served under Universal Credit;
a more transparent approach on in-work conditionality that accommodates individual circumstances through an insightful and sympathetic understanding of them;
a pause in the ratcheting-up process of the sanctions regime whilst existing rules are thoroughly evaluated and greater testing with incentives rather than penalties is explored;
a review into the treatment of second earnings and the effect upon work incentives;
a genuinely responsive attitude to the results of evaluation as they begin to filter through;
a continued commitment to address the risks to which some claimants will be subject as a result of the length of time before the first full payment of Universal Credit is normally made, monthly payments of benefit, payment of rental housing costs to claimants in the first instance and the outworking of Universal Support delivered locally;
an detailed plan which addresses the formidable task of converting annual based Tax Credit awards into monthly based Universal Credit awards, recoups outstanding HMRC overpayments without causing hardship and effectively communicates the changes to claimants;
a co-ordinated approach to the provision and funding of childcare, along with guidance for claimants as to the choices available to them.
Here’s a link to the report and executive summary: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ssac-occasional-paper-15-universal-credit-priorities-for-action
The Committee has also published its Annual Report for 2014-15, and Business Plan for 2015-16 this morning. They can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=social-security-advisory-committee&publication_type=corporate-reports
Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you require further information.
Many thanks
Denise
Denise Whitehead
Committee Secretary | Social Security Advisory Committee | 5th Floor Caxton House | Tothill Street | London SW1H 9NA
Telephone: 0207 829 3354 | Extension: 43354 | Please consider the environment before printing
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