Press release

Every jobcentre in Wales to offer Universal Credit from today

Alun Cairns: Welfare reform transforming lives in Wales

From:
Department for Work and Pensions, Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, and The Rt Hon Lord Freud
Published
21 March 2016

  • All jobcentres in Wales now offer Universal Credit – the first nation to complete the rollout in the UK

  • Minister for Welfare Reform David Freud says Universal Credit “helps people to move into work faster and earn more”

  • Over 4,000 people across Wales have moved into work under Universal Credit

Universal Credit comes to seven more jobcentres in Wales today, meaning all 62 jobcentres across the country are now offering the new benefit to single jobseekers.

Universal Credit simplifies the benefit system and is designed to make work pay. It sweeps away the complexities and traps of the previous benefits system and is central to this one-nation Government’s welfare reforms.

More than 11,000 people are already claiming Universal Credit across Wales­ - and almost 40% of those claiming are in work

Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns said:

Welfare reform in Wales is transforming the lives of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds for the better. Universal Credit is simplifying the tax and benefit system while supporting those on the lowest incomes.

Reforming welfare and supporting people back into work will help deliver a brighter future for people across Wales.

Minister for Welfare Reform, David Freud said:

Today marks an important milestone in our welfare revolution with Universal Credit now available across Wales.

Universal Credit helps people move into work faster and earn more. There are already record numbers of people in work in Wales, and with the support that Universal Credit offers, we want to help even more people to have the security that a job and a pay-packet brings.

Central to the Government’s welfare reforms, Universal Credit replaces six benefits with one monthly payment and creates a welfare system designed to make work pay.

Across the UK more than 95% of jobcentres have now switched to the new service and it will be available everywhere by this spring. Once fully rolled out is expected to boost employment nationally by 300,000.

Across the country over 400,000 people have now made a claim to Universal Credit with over 10,000 more making new claims every week.

Notes to Editors

  1. Universal Credit is now available in all 62 Welsh jobcentres * 11,213 people are currently claiming Universal Credit * Of which 4,440 (40%) are in work

  2. Across the UK, Universal Credit is now available in 95% of all jobcentres (681), including all of the North West, where it is available to couples and families too.

  3. On 21st March Universal Credit will become available to all new single claimants in:

  • Aberdare
  • Llantrisant
  • Mountain Ash
  • Pontypridd
  • Porth
  • Tonypandy
  • Treorchy

  1. The latest Universal Credit at Work report shows that for every 100 people who find work under the old JSA system, 113 UC claimants will have moved into a job.

  2. Universal Credit is paid monthly, mirroring the way most people are paid in work

  3. Universal Credit will eventually replace:

  • Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credits
  • Child Tax Credits
  • Housing Benefit

  1. With access to HMRC’s Real Time Earnings data, Universal Credit will save taxpayers over £1bn every year by reducing fraud, error and overpayments.

  2. Detailed information on how to claim Universal Credit is available here

Published 21 March 2016

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