The UK government has delayed the full rollout of Universal Credit by a further nine months, pushing the completion date to September 2024. The Department for Work and Pensions acknowledged that the delay is partly due to claimants being reluctant to sign up for the new benefit. Minister Will Quince blamed opposition 'scaremongering' for the slow uptake.
The delay is expected to cost an additional £500 million. Universal Credit has faced criticism for causing rent arrears, debt, and increased food bank use among claimants, who must wait five weeks for their first payment. Internal documents reveal that senior official Neil Couling warned in 2019 that claimants were 'scared to come to universal credit'.
Labour leadership contender Lisa Nandy called for Universal Credit to be scrapped and rebuilt, citing its negative impact on claimants. Shadow work and pensions secretary Margaret Greenwood described the delay as 'hugely embarrassing' for the government. Currently, around 2 million people receive Universal Credit, with over 6 million expected by the new 2024 deadline.
