In an urgent, unanimous report published today, the Commons Work and Pensions Committee says Government should aim to cut the “baked-in” six week wait for the first payment of Universal Credit to a month.
Work and Pensions Committee web page
While increased availability of Advance Payment (AP) loans of up to half the estimated monthly award are welcome, the Committee says they are no solution to a fundamental flaw in the current design:
- Universal Credit seeks to mirror the world of work, but no one in work waits six weeks for a paycheque.
- The Committee calls on Government to reduce the standard waiting time for a first Universal Credit payment to one month. This would be entirely consistent with the monthly in arrears philosophy of Universal Credit.