We’ve submitted evidence to the work and pensions committee on universal credit and deduction for debt. The submission summarisies the key issues raised by members and lists some recommendations to improve the system. Thanks to delegates at last week’s NAWRA conference in Glasgow for their contributions and to Daphne Hall for drafting the submission. Read our submission.
Our next conference will take place from 10am-4pm (registration from 9.30am) on Friday 7 September 2018 at the Renfield St Stephen’s Centre, 260 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JP. Many thanks to Glasgow City Council for hosting us. We are pleased to announce that our guest speakers will be the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville and the chief executive of the Social Security Agency, David Wallace. Also speaking is Dr Sharon Wright of Glasgow …
The Social Security Advisory Committee recently ran a consultation on government proposals for moving claimants to universal credit from other working age benefits, known as ‘managed migration’. Thanks to all the NAWRA members who contributed to our survey of members views and to Daphne for drafting our submission. NAWRA has been invited to a DWP meeting about managed migration in October 2018 where we will have another opportunity to make members voices heard.
The Work and Pensions Committee is holding an inquiry into universal credit. On 4 July 2018, NAWRA’s vice chair Daphne Hall gave oral evidence to the Committee on the problems with the rollout of universal credit, particularly for disabled people. NAWRA has followed this up with further written observations and recommendations on disability and universal credit for the Committee.
NAWRA has sent an email to the Director General for the Universal Credit Programme, Neil Couling, to highlight the concerns reported by NAWRA members in universal credit full service areas. In particular, we have raised the problems experienced by claimants applying for new-style ESA in a full service universal credit area and also the ongoing errors in the natural migration from ESA to universal credit. Update 6 Aug 2018: We’ve received a reply from Neil Couling. He asks for details …
