A council that has uncovered hundreds of thousands of pounds of Universal Credit (UC) over and underpayments has claimed local authorities are ‘spectators' in rolling out the scheme.

In report to Tower Hamlets LBC, corporate director of resources, Neville Murton, said that ‘current liaison arrangements are not fit for purpose' despite a commitment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to work in partnership with councils in the introduction of UC.