Live: DWP Select Committee Universal Credit Roll-out

Work and Pensions Committee

Wednesday 18 October 2017 Meeting starts at 9.30am

Subject: Universal Credit rollout 

This promises to be a lively debate. It feels like the whole country is asking the DWP to pause the roll-out of Universal Credit. This is due to the financial hardship the scheme is causing and the loss of confidence it is instilling in landlords, knowing that the DWP are driving claimants into debt where defaulting on rent payments is a necessity to pay for essentials like food.

The DWP has failed to respond to the Committee’s call for written evidence, or any of the four letters requesting statistics and clarifications of policy sent to the Secretary of State over the past six weeks.

The ABC has tried to get information on interim payments from the DWP, but no response has been forthcoming. It is unusual to see the DWP Select Committee criticize the minister and the DWP in such strident terms. 

Subject: Universal Credit rollout

Witnesses: Rt Hon David Gauke MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions, and Neil Couling CBE, Director, Universal Credit Programme, Department for Work and Pensions.

Later in the day in the House of Commons there will be an Opposition Day debate on Universal Credit. We hope to cover that too.