
North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has today highlighted the measures being taken by the UK Government to address concerns over the implementation of Universal Credit.
Speaking in today’s Assembly Debate on Poverty, Mr Isherwood spoke of the measures being taken to address problems with Universal Credit and emphasised that Universal Credit replaces an over-complicated system, and that the evidence shows people are more likely to get a job as a result.
He also stated that many of the levers to tackle poverty in Wales lie with Welsh Government and called on the Welsh Government to publish a robust and meaningful plan to tackle poverty.
Speaking in the Chamber, he said:
“I move amendment 1. As this states, we must note the actions taken by the UK Government to address concerns over implementation of Universal Credit.
“Universal Credit replaces an over- complicated system - and the evidence shows people are more likely to get a job as a result.
“DWP have been working with the devolved administrations since 2012 on plans for its rollout - and issued the Universal Credit Local Support Services Framework’ in 2013, developed with Partners including the Welsh Local Government Association, to help claimants not yet ready to budget for themselves and those who need alternative payment arrangements.
“The Chancellor’s 2017 Autumn Statement announced an extra 2 weeks housing benefit, a 7 day cut in the time people have to wait for their first payment, and a year rather than six months to repay hardship loans.
“Last month the Chancellor confirmed £4.5 billion funding plus £1.7 billion for increased “work allowances.” Waiting times will be cut from 5 to 3 weeks, debt repayments will be cut, the deadline to switch benefits will be extended to three months and help for the self-employed will be increased.
“Only last Friday, Amber Rudd stated that she was going to specifically address the impact of Universal Credit on women and single mothers, ensure women in abusive relationships have access to split payments, and review the five-week wait, payments for housing, access to cash and repayment of loans.
“DWP are working with employers, through Disability Confident, to ensure that disabled people and those with long term health conditions have the work opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.
“Remploy Cymru’s Work and Health Programme in Wales is a UK Government programme to support long-term unemployed, disabled people and those with health conditions, to overcome barriers to employment .
“At the DWP’s request, Citizens Advice have launched a new service to help people make a Universal Credit claim, independent of Government, and the DWP has recruited Community Partnership Teams of people with lived experience from expert external bodies to support vulnerable people, upskill Jobcentre Plus staff and build bridges between the Public, Private and Third Sectors.
“Independent figures confirm that: both unemployment levels and the proportion of low-paid jobs are now at record lows, average full-time weekly earnings have seen their biggest rise in over a decade and UK wealth inequality has narrowed in the past decade.
He added: “However, many of the levers to tackle poverty in Wales lie with Welsh Government. It is therefore deeply worrying that after 20 years of Labour Welsh Government, the recent Equality and Human Rights Commission Wales Annual Review found that: Wales is the least productive nation in the UK, Poverty and deprivation are higher in Wales than in other nations in Britain, and median hourly earnings in Wales are lower than in England and Scotland.
“This dreadful record of failure, this devastating betrayal, is the true measure of two decades of Welsh Labour rhetoric and buck-passing. We therefore call on the Welsh Government to publish a robust and meaningful plan to tackle poverty that contains clear performance targets and indicators to measure progress and impact”.