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| Universal Credit helpline charges scrapped | Universal Credit helpline charges scrapped |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People will no longer be charged for calling the government's Universal Credit helpline after criticism from MPs and campaigners. | People will no longer be charged for calling the government's Universal Credit helpline after criticism from MPs and campaigners. |
| Welfare Secretary David Gauke said the helpline, charged at local call rates which could be up to 55p a minute, would be made free in the coming weeks. | |
| Mr Gauke is being grilled by the work and pensions committee about the roll-out of Universal Credit. | Mr Gauke is being grilled by the work and pensions committee about the roll-out of Universal Credit. |
| The government is facing calls to make changes to the way it is working. | The government is facing calls to make changes to the way it is working. |
| Labour wants it "paused" and there has been criticism about how long claimants wait to get the cash. | Labour wants it "paused" and there has been criticism about how long claimants wait to get the cash. |
| The government has said anyone in financial distress can apply for advance payments. | The government has said anyone in financial distress can apply for advance payments. |
| BBC Newsnight's political editor Nick Watt said he understood ministers were also giving "serious thought" to cutting the initial waiting period for payments from six to four weeks around the time of next month's Budget. | BBC Newsnight's political editor Nick Watt said he understood ministers were also giving "serious thought" to cutting the initial waiting period for payments from six to four weeks around the time of next month's Budget. |
| Universal Credit is a single benefit for working-age people, replacing income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, housing benefit, child tax credit and working tax credit. | |
| It has been introduced in stages to different groups of claimants over the past four years, with about 610,000 people now receiving it. | |
| Earlier this month ministers approved a major extension of the programme to a further 45 job centres across the country, with another 50 to be added each month, despite concerns about its implementation and claims that it was causing real hardship for thousands of families. | Earlier this month ministers approved a major extension of the programme to a further 45 job centres across the country, with another 50 to be added each month, despite concerns about its implementation and claims that it was causing real hardship for thousands of families. |
| Almost a quarter of all claimants have had to wait more than six weeks to receive their first payment in full because of errors and problems evidencing claims. | Almost a quarter of all claimants have had to wait more than six weeks to receive their first payment in full because of errors and problems evidencing claims. |
| This has led to reports of growing numbers of people falling into rent arrears. | This has led to reports of growing numbers of people falling into rent arrears. |
| How does it work? | How does it work? |
| The idea of universal credit is that no-one faces a situation where they would be better off claiming benefits than working. | The idea of universal credit is that no-one faces a situation where they would be better off claiming benefits than working. |
| There is no limit to the number of hours you can work per week if you get universal credit, but your payment reduces gradually as you earn more. | There is no limit to the number of hours you can work per week if you get universal credit, but your payment reduces gradually as you earn more. |
| Under the old system many faced a "cliff edge", where people on a low income would lose all their benefits at once as soon as they started working more than 16 hours. In the new system, benefit payments are reduced at a consistent rate as income and earnings increase. | Under the old system many faced a "cliff edge", where people on a low income would lose all their benefits at once as soon as they started working more than 16 hours. In the new system, benefit payments are reduced at a consistent rate as income and earnings increase. |
| A six-week wait is built into the system. | A six-week wait is built into the system. |
| Because universal credit is based on how much money you have each month, it is paid in arrears - people claiming the benefit receive money for the last month worked, not for the month ahead. | Because universal credit is based on how much money you have each month, it is paid in arrears - people claiming the benefit receive money for the last month worked, not for the month ahead. |
| That means everyone has to wait at least four weeks, and the rest of the time is because of the way the scheme is administered. | That means everyone has to wait at least four weeks, and the rest of the time is because of the way the scheme is administered. |
| Last month it was reported that up to a dozen Conservative MPs wanted the rollout to be put on hold while, ahead of Wednesday's debate, it is understood Prime Minister Theresa May met a group of MPs in Downing Street to discuss the way ahead. | Last month it was reported that up to a dozen Conservative MPs wanted the rollout to be put on hold while, ahead of Wednesday's debate, it is understood Prime Minister Theresa May met a group of MPs in Downing Street to discuss the way ahead. |
| Although the debate is largely symbolic - any vote that is held will not be binding on the government - it has been tabled by Labour to increase pressure on the government. | Although the debate is largely symbolic - any vote that is held will not be binding on the government - it has been tabled by Labour to increase pressure on the government. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions says its latest data, from last month, indicates 81% of new claimants were paid in full and on time at the end of their first assessment while 89% received some payment. | The Department for Work and Pensions says its latest data, from last month, indicates 81% of new claimants were paid in full and on time at the end of their first assessment while 89% received some payment. |
| Verification process | Verification process |
| Cases of non-payment, it said, were due to claimants either not signing paperwork, not passing identity checks or facing "verification issues" such as providing details of their earnings, housing costs and childcare costs. | Cases of non-payment, it said, were due to claimants either not signing paperwork, not passing identity checks or facing "verification issues" such as providing details of their earnings, housing costs and childcare costs. |
| But Mr Field, an ex-welfare minister who chairs the Work and Pensions Committee, said he was urging ministers not to proceed any further and warning them if they did it would "explode politically". | But Mr Field, an ex-welfare minister who chairs the Work and Pensions Committee, said he was urging ministers not to proceed any further and warning them if they did it would "explode politically". |
| Large numbers of people in his Birkenhead constituency, he told the BBC, would "not have any money over Christmas" due to the six-week time lag. | Large numbers of people in his Birkenhead constituency, he told the BBC, would "not have any money over Christmas" due to the six-week time lag. |
| "The government cannot honestly stand up and say this is working," he told the BBC. | "The government cannot honestly stand up and say this is working," he told the BBC. |
| "We know from our constituents the consequences of that - a huge amount of destitution, horror at people who are reduced below what we would regard in this country as a minimum." | "We know from our constituents the consequences of that - a huge amount of destitution, horror at people who are reduced below what we would regard in this country as a minimum." |
| The Department of Work and Pensions said the system was working and the majority of recipients were telling them they were comfortable about managing their finances. | The Department of Work and Pensions said the system was working and the majority of recipients were telling them they were comfortable about managing their finances. |
| "No-one who needs support should have to wait five or six weeks for their first payment. That's why we have updated our guidance to make sure anyone who needs an advance payment can get one within five working days, and on the same day if in urgent need." | "No-one who needs support should have to wait five or six weeks for their first payment. That's why we have updated our guidance to make sure anyone who needs an advance payment can get one within five working days, and on the same day if in urgent need." |
| Are you claiming Universal Credit? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | |
| Or use the form below |