Politics

Tory candidates vow to overhaul Universal Credit so struggling Brits don’t have to wait so long for help


THE Tory leadership contenders today pledged to overhaul Universal Credit to help struggling Brits forced to wait weeks for help.

The candidates admitted the welfare system was letting poor people down and promised to review it if they get to No10.

 Tory candidates have vowed to overhaul Universal Credit

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Tory candidates have vowed to overhaul Universal CreditCredit: Alamy

Some hinted they could cut the five-week wait for new claimants – a key demand of The Sun’s Make Universal Credit Work campaign.

The rivals were grilled about their UC plans at hustings today – apart from Boris Johnson, who failed to turn up.

They praised the principle of the system, which wraps multiple existing benefits into one.

But they also confessed that further tweaks are needed to stop Brits falling into poverty while they wait for their benefits to start, or being burdened by debt because they took out loans to bridge the benefits gap.

Sajid Javid said: “We can do more to bring more fairness and give a bit more dignity to the people that are using that system.

“It takes too long at the moment to register and then to get a response back from the system and just a few weeks would make a huge difference to someone.

“Also the appeals process needs to be overhauled, it should be more independent than it currently is.”

We can do more to bring more fairness and give a bit more dignity

Sajid Javid

Dominic Raab added: “There are two things that are crucial – making sure that we amend the system or revise the system so it’s as sensitive as it possibly can be to the changing and fluid needs of those who are struggling.

“I’d also want to incentivise the system so that we’ve got as much encouragement for people to go out and work and marginal rates of taxation are as low as possible.”

And Michael Gove told the hustings: “There are specific issues that relate to the interaction between Universal Credit and income tax which mean that for the working poor we may need to do more and I am eager to do better.”

Jeremy Hunt refused to make any specific policy pledges but said: “I’d always be ready to review the way Universal Credit is being rolled out to make sure we do it in the fairest possible way.”

The Sun wants to Make Universal Credit Work

UNIVERSAL Credit replaces six benefits with a single monthly payment.

One million people are already receiving it and by the time the system is fully rolled out in 2023, nearly 7 million will be on it.

But there are big problems with the flagship new system – it takes 5 weeks to get the first payment and it could leave some families worse off by thousands of pounds a year.

And while working families can claim back up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, they must find the money to pay for childcare upfront – we’ve heard of families waiting up to 6 months for the money.

Working parents across the country told us they’ve been unable to take on more hours – or have even turned down better paid jobs or more hours because of the amount they get their benefits cut.

It’s time to Make Universal Credit work. We want the Government to:

  1. Get paid faster: The Government must slash the time Brits wait for their first Universal Credit payments from five to two weeks, helping stop 7 million from being pushed into debt.
  2. Keep more of what you earn: The work allowance should be increased and the taper rate should be slashed from 63p to 50p, helping at least 4 million families.
  3. Don’t get punished for having a family: Parents should get the 85 per cent of the money they can claim for childcare upfront instead of being paid in arrears.

Together, these changes will help Make Universal Credit Work.

Join our Universal Credit Facebook group or email UniversalCredit@the-sun.co.uk to share your story. 

Rory Stewart told Sky News: “I would look again at both the five-week wait and the funding.”

Millions of Brits have seen their finances affected by the switch to Universal Credit.

New claimants must wait five weeks for their first payment – meaning many fall into debt which then dogs them for months.

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 Dominic Raab vowed to introduce reforms

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Dominic Raab vowed to introduce reformsCredit: AFP or licensors
 Rory Stewart and Dominic Raab said Universal Credit needs fixing

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Rory Stewart and Dominic Raab said Universal Credit needs fixingCredit: Reuters


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