Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has launched a campaign to encourage claimants write to their MP, asking them to pause the rollout of universal credit and change the managed migration system.
CPAG, like many other agencies, is warning that the current plans for migrating existing claimants onto UC risks forcing many people into poverty.
CPAG argues that:
“Universal credit is not ready. We have serious concerns, including about the widespread administrative errors, poor communication with claimants, and inadequate support for people struggling. The system isn’t coping now – adding another 3 million claimants will only make things worse for everyone.”
“Thousands of people are at risk of losing their income. People’s existing support can simply be stopped if they haven’t successfully claimed by the deadline. We know that 1 in 5 universal credit claims fails due to difficulties people experience making a claim. And some people will not claim because they have not understood the process, are severely ill or have no computer skills and no support.”
“When people do finally claim successfully, perhaps prompted by their previous benefits ending, they’ll then have to wait five more weeks for their first universal credit payment, and will not get the top-up payment to keep their payment at the same level as before.”
CPAG are calling on the government to stop all new claims for UC until the system is fixed.
In addition, they want the DWP to take on the job of moving existing claimants onto UC, rather than forcing claimants to apply themselves.
You can join the campaign and have an email with a pre-written text sent to your MP, or you can alter or replace the text to reflect your own experiences.
