Universal Credit
London boroughs face £23m rent arrears due to Universal Credit
The rollout of Universal Credit is leading to thousands of council tenants falling behind on rent payments, new research commissioned by London Councils has found.
Cost of Universal Credit set to soar, says watchdog
The cost of running Universal Credit is likely to be more expensive than the systems it replaces, is placing a huge burden on staff administering it and has the highest rate of overpayments for any benefit other than tax credits according to a National Audit Office report.
‘Give Redbridge its money back’
Redbridge’s chief executive predicts the pandemic will cost the local authority £60m He explains to Heather Jameson why he’s written to the Government to demand it covers both its expenditure and lost income.
Let’s look out for our residents
As the lockdown reduces it has never been more important for councils to proactively identify and target support for communities, says Deven Ghelani.
Universal credit 'is key to hardship', says think tank
Universal credit is the ‘key to many families avoiding real hardship’, the Resolution Foundation think tank has claimed.
Universal credit pushed back again
The Department for Work and Pensions has again shifted the date for full implementation of Universal Credit.
How important are ministers?
When you couple a high turnover of ministers with a high turnover of senior civil servants, as is also happening right now because Brexit is sucking up resources, then there’s a problem, says Michael Burton.
Our poor children
Child poverty in the UK impacts not only on the children who are put into care. Its ripple effect piles pressure on local authorities, particularly those in the West Midlands and the North. Paul Marinko reports.
Figures expose shameful causes of children's care costs
The impact of poverty on council children’s services saw calls for action this week from MPs and councillors, as ministers moved to softened welfare reforms.
Welfare provision ‘overly centralised’ London council chiefs say
A new report from the cross-party organisation London Councils has criticised the current approach to welfare provision, describing it as ‘overly centralised’.
Universal Credit rollout 'should be halted', says Tower Hamlets' Mayor
The Mayor of Tower Hamlets LBC John Biggs says the roll-out of Universal Credit ‘should be halted’ following its discovery of more than 700 underpayments and overpayments in just 18 months.
Labour pledges to scrap Universal Credit
Labour has promised to replace ‘inhumane’ Universal Credit with a new social security system.
Beware the ‘pandemonium’ of UC
It’s all change – again – at the top of the Department for Work and Pensions. But where does the departure of Amber Rudd leave the beleaguered Universal Credit policy? Ann McGauran reports
Data the key to supporting through UC
As Universal Credit replaces Housing Benefit, local authorities will lose access to the rich data that allows them to target support, warns Deven Ghelani.
What's the demand for children's social care?
In the North-East there has been a 55.7% growth in the average number of looked after children per 10,000 between 2009 and 2018. Tony Kirkham says the biggest single driver of demand would seem to be Universal Credit.
Repairing children’s services is an investment worth making
Spending more on services to stop the rising costs of taking children into care must be worth the investment, says Heather Jameson.
Conservative Street in housing benefits freeze call
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has called on his own party to reduce homelessness by reversing the housing benefits freeze.
Universal Credit draining council resources
Universal Credit (UC) is draining resources from councils, a new survey has found.
Combined strategy call to tackle homelessness
The Government should commit to a coherent combined housing and homelessness strategy, a report published today by a commission of experts has urged after a year-long investigation.
'We've broken the social contract with people'
Former Society of Local Authority Chief Executives president Jo Miller is leaving her chief executive role at Doncaster MBC to take up a new local government post in New Zealand. She talks to Heather Jameson about her legacy.
