North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has asked the Welsh Government this week why ‘Universal Support’ isn’t operating better in Wales.
During a question to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services on ‘Working-age Benefits’, Mr Isherwood spoke of the positives delivered by Universal Credit, but expressed concern that despite DWP officials working with the Devolved Administrations since March 2012 on plans for Universal Credit roll out, there continue to be problems in Wales.
Speaking in the Chamber, he said:
“Well, evidence shows that people on Universal Credit are moving into work faster and are staying longer in their work, and that over three-quarters of tenants were already in rent arrears before they started claiming the Universal Credit, but after four months on Universal Credit this had fallen by a third. It's always been recognised, however, that some will need extra support, which is why the Department for Work and Pensions has been working with the Welsh Government since March 2012 on plans for Universal Credit roll-out, and why the UK Government issued the ‘Universal Credit Local Support Services Framework’ in February 2013, developed with the DWP and partners including the Welsh Local Government Association and Welsh Government - now called Universal Support - ensuring that claimants who are not yet ready to budget for themselves are protected and assisted onto the new system, and that alternative payment arrangements will be available to help claimants who need additional support.
“Given Welsh Government involvement in this at a devolved level since 2012, and yet the repeated problems we keep hearing raised in the Chamber, why isn't it working better in Wales?”
In her reply the Cabinet Secretary, Rebecca Evans AM, blamed the UK Government.
Speaking outside the Chamber, Mr Isherwood said: “UK Welfare policy applies across the UK, but only Wales has the Labour Welsh Government. If things are so bad in Wales, we must therefore ask them why?”