Speaking in this afternoon’s second Opposition Debate on Universal Credit, North Wales Assembly Member stated that “it is about more than just money, it is about helping people get into work, stay in work and live independently”.
Mr Isherwood said people are moving into work faster and staying in longer as a result of Universal Credit and that when he recently visited the new Job Centre Plus District Manager for North and Mid Wales and staff at their Mold Office, they told him that they can now focus on the claimants needs, that instead of spending their days helping people filling out long forms as they come off and back on Job Seekers Allowance, and dealing with queries about delays in payments, they can now concentrate on coaching people about how to find extra work and become financially independent.
He said that they also told him about the personal budgeting support they provide and about the advance payments available, although these had rarely been taken up so far.
Speaking in the Chamber, he said:
“Universal credit is designed to help people into work, support people who need help or cannot work. it replaces a system which discouraged people from working more than 16 hours a week – and saw nearly 1.5 million people trapped on out of work benefits for nearly a decade.
“Unlike the disastrous roll out of tax credits, which saw millions of people facing claw backs after overpayments of £7.3 Billion, Universal Credit is being introduced gradually.”
Mr Isherwood moved Amendment 1, noting that the principle behind Universal Credit is widely supported.
He added: “Rather than scrapping it, Labour’s 2017 UK Manifesto said Labour will reform and redesign Universal Credit, ending 6 weeks delays in payments”- and in this context Amendment 1 also “welcomes the wide-ranging package announced in the UK Government’s Budget to address concerns around the transition to Universal Credit”.
“DWP Officials have been working with the devolved administrations since March 2012 on plans for Universal Credit rollout - and the UK Government issued the ‘Universal Credit Local Support Services Framework’ in February 2013, developed between the DWP and partners including the Welsh Local Government Association, to help claimants not yet ready to budget for themselves and those who need alternative payment arrangement.
“When we hear, for example, that in Wales, the average value of rent arrears under Universal Credit is £450, more than 3x the UK average, we therefore have to ask the Welsh Government what has gone wrong here. Community Housing Cymru believe that some of the issues surrounding Universal Credit could be targeted by improving communications between DWP, tenants and landlords.
“We also need to consider solutions such as like the Social Change ARK Passport Scheme, allowing tenants to separate and prioritise rent and other payments, and giving landlords greater security, and we need to engage with the UK Government’s 10 year strategy to transform disability employment and help a million more disabled people into work.”