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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/dec/05/tory-mp-cries-heidi-allen-universal-credit-impact-speech-from-frank-field
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| Tory MP cries at universal credit impact speech from Frank Field | Tory MP cries at universal credit impact speech from Frank Field |
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| A Conservative MP broke down in the House of Commons during an emotional Labour-led debate on universal credit, where the government conceded it would release confidential reports into the impact of the welfare reform’s rollout. | A Conservative MP broke down in the House of Commons during an emotional Labour-led debate on universal credit, where the government conceded it would release confidential reports into the impact of the welfare reform’s rollout. |
| MP Heidi Allen wiped away tears as Labour’s Frank Field, the chair of the work and pensions select committee, described persuading a man not to kill himself and spoke of another man who told him about his “lucky week” going to a funeral “so they could finish off the food”. | MP Heidi Allen wiped away tears as Labour’s Frank Field, the chair of the work and pensions select committee, described persuading a man not to kill himself and spoke of another man who told him about his “lucky week” going to a funeral “so they could finish off the food”. |
| Universal credit (UC) is the supposed flagship reform of the benefits system, rolling together six benefits (including unemployment and benefits, and tax credits) into one, online-only system. The theoretical aim, for which there was general support across the political spectrum, was to simplify the system and increase the incentives for people to move off benefits into work. | Universal credit (UC) is the supposed flagship reform of the benefits system, rolling together six benefits (including unemployment and benefits, and tax credits) into one, online-only system. The theoretical aim, for which there was general support across the political spectrum, was to simplify the system and increase the incentives for people to move off benefits into work. |
| The project was legislated for in 2011 under the auspices of its most vocal champion, Iain Duncan Smith. The plan was to roll it out by 2017. However, a series of management failures, expensive IT blunders and design faults means it is six years behind schedule and rollout will not be complete until 2023. | The project was legislated for in 2011 under the auspices of its most vocal champion, Iain Duncan Smith. The plan was to roll it out by 2017. However, a series of management failures, expensive IT blunders and design faults means it is six years behind schedule and rollout will not be complete until 2023. |
| The original design set out a minimum 42-day wait for a first payment to claimants when they moved to UC (in practice this is often up to 60 days). After sustained pressure, the government announced in the autumn 2017 budget that the wait would be reduced to 35 days from February 2018. This will partially mitigate the impact on many claimants of having no income for six weeks. The wait has led to rent arrears and evictions, hunger (food banks in UC areas report notable increases in referrals), use of expensive credit and mental distress. | The original design set out a minimum 42-day wait for a first payment to claimants when they moved to UC (in practice this is often up to 60 days). After sustained pressure, the government announced in the autumn 2017 budget that the wait would be reduced to 35 days from February 2018. This will partially mitigate the impact on many claimants of having no income for six weeks. The wait has led to rent arrears and evictions, hunger (food banks in UC areas report notable increases in referrals), use of expensive credit and mental distress. |
| Ministers have expanded the availability of hardship loans (now repayable over a year) to help new claimants while they wait for payment. Housing benefit will now continue for an extra two weeks after the start of a UC claim. However, critics say the five-week wait is still too long and want it reduced to two or three weeks. | Ministers have expanded the availability of hardship loans (now repayable over a year) to help new claimants while they wait for payment. Housing benefit will now continue for an extra two weeks after the start of a UC claim. However, critics say the five-week wait is still too long and want it reduced to two or three weeks. |
| Plenty. Multibillion-pound cuts to work allowances imposed by the former chancellor George Osborne mean UC is far less generous than originally envisaged. According to the Resolution Foundation thinktank, about 2.5m low-income working households will be more than £1,000 a year worse off when they move to UC, reducing work incentives. | Plenty. Multibillion-pound cuts to work allowances imposed by the former chancellor George Osborne mean UC is far less generous than originally envisaged. According to the Resolution Foundation thinktank, about 2.5m low-income working households will be more than £1,000 a year worse off when they move to UC, reducing work incentives. |
| Landlords are worried that the level of rent arrears accrued by tenants on UC could lead to a rise in evictions. It's also not very user-friendly: claimants complain the system is complex, unreliable and difficult to manage, particularly if you have no internet access. | Landlords are worried that the level of rent arrears accrued by tenants on UC could lead to a rise in evictions. It's also not very user-friendly: claimants complain the system is complex, unreliable and difficult to manage, particularly if you have no internet access. |
| And there is concern that UC cannot deliver key promises: a critical study found it does not deliver savings, cannot prove it gets more people into work, and has plunged vulnerable claimants into hardship. | And there is concern that UC cannot deliver key promises: a critical study found it does not deliver savings, cannot prove it gets more people into work, and has plunged vulnerable claimants into hardship. |
| The debate came as the government pledged it will make universal credit reports from between 2012 and 2015 available to the select committee in a concession to Labour, but work and pensions secretary David Gauke said they should not be made public. | The debate came as the government pledged it will make universal credit reports from between 2012 and 2015 available to the select committee in a concession to Labour, but work and pensions secretary David Gauke said they should not be made public. |
| Gauke said the government had nothing to hide on universal credit, hinting that the project assessment reports would not give any sort of damning indictment of the flagship welfare reform. | Gauke said the government had nothing to hide on universal credit, hinting that the project assessment reports would not give any sort of damning indictment of the flagship welfare reform. |
| Labour said the government had so far ignored a ruling in August by the information commissioner that five of the reports should be released to campaigners because their publication would be in the public interest. | Labour said the government had so far ignored a ruling in August by the information commissioner that five of the reports should be released to campaigners because their publication would be in the public interest. |
| Government sources said they would continue to challenge their public release, even though the reports will be given to the committee, after Labour used an arcane parliamentary device called a “humble address” to the Queen, requesting ministers release project assessment reviews conducted into the welfare reform. | Government sources said they would continue to challenge their public release, even though the reports will be given to the committee, after Labour used an arcane parliamentary device called a “humble address” to the Queen, requesting ministers release project assessment reviews conducted into the welfare reform. |
| The Information Commissioner’s Office has already said the papers should be published publicly and in full – as that is specifically in the public interest. | The Information Commissioner’s Office has already said the papers should be published publicly and in full – as that is specifically in the public interest. |
| During the debate, a visibly upset Allen said she was pleased how MPs were working cross-party to improve the system. | During the debate, a visibly upset Allen said she was pleased how MPs were working cross-party to improve the system. |
| “I’m humbled by the words from my honourable, good friend from Birkenhead [Field],” she said. “No government is perfect, no benefits system is perfect, no debate, no motion is perfect, but by God we work together and make this better.” | “I’m humbled by the words from my honourable, good friend from Birkenhead [Field],” she said. “No government is perfect, no benefits system is perfect, no debate, no motion is perfect, but by God we work together and make this better.” |
| Field intervened to give Allen a chance to compose herself, saying: “I’m just amazed for the first time I’ve been able to report those events publicly without weeping. | Field intervened to give Allen a chance to compose herself, saying: “I’m just amazed for the first time I’ve been able to report those events publicly without weeping. |
| “I’m so affected by them, I’m affected as she is. That’s the debate we’re really having – how do we represent here the desperateness of many of our constituents when many of us feel we can’t offer them hope.” | “I’m so affected by them, I’m affected as she is. That’s the debate we’re really having – how do we represent here the desperateness of many of our constituents when many of us feel we can’t offer them hope.” |
| Earlier Field said his constituents were being hit by the cumulative impact of reforms under Labour and Conservative governments. | Earlier Field said his constituents were being hit by the cumulative impact of reforms under Labour and Conservative governments. |
| “On my last surgery Friday, for the first time ever a gentleman rose after we had spoken, I had tried to persuade him not to commit suicide, such was the desperateness that he saw the future for himself, and I realised the hand that shook my hand was wet. He’d been crying. And the hand that shook my hand was the hand that wiped away those tears,” he said. | “On my last surgery Friday, for the first time ever a gentleman rose after we had spoken, I had tried to persuade him not to commit suicide, such was the desperateness that he saw the future for himself, and I realised the hand that shook my hand was wet. He’d been crying. And the hand that shook my hand was the hand that wiped away those tears,” he said. |
| Gauke said he was granting the request on an “exceptional basis” and said the reports would only give a partial picture of the policy’s impact, given how it had subsequently been revised. | Gauke said he was granting the request on an “exceptional basis” and said the reports would only give a partial picture of the policy’s impact, given how it had subsequently been revised. |
| Universal credit helpline closure could hit poorest over Xmas, says MP | Universal credit helpline closure could hit poorest over Xmas, says MP |
| He said he would confidentially provide the reports to the select committee, and “hope and expect that the documents will not be disclosed further”. | He said he would confidentially provide the reports to the select committee, and “hope and expect that the documents will not be disclosed further”. |
| Field hinted he was uneasy about the condition that his committee keep the reports confidential, and that he would seek guidance from Commons Speaker John Bercow about “what sense of secrecy or of honour bind us” when they get the documents. | Field hinted he was uneasy about the condition that his committee keep the reports confidential, and that he would seek guidance from Commons Speaker John Bercow about “what sense of secrecy or of honour bind us” when they get the documents. |
| Labour and some Tory MPs have repeatedly voiced concern about the long wait faced by fresh claimants to be paid benefits once they apply for universal credit, originally six weeks but reduced to five in last month’s budget. | Labour and some Tory MPs have repeatedly voiced concern about the long wait faced by fresh claimants to be paid benefits once they apply for universal credit, originally six weeks but reduced to five in last month’s budget. |
| The Department for Work and Pensions has said no claimant needed to wait that long without funds, saying emergency payments to cover the period can be requested and received within three days and paid back over 12 months. | The Department for Work and Pensions has said no claimant needed to wait that long without funds, saying emergency payments to cover the period can be requested and received within three days and paid back over 12 months. |
| Speaking in the debate, Gauke accused Labour politicians and the media of “scaremongering”, which he said was leading families to believe they had no way of accessing help. | Speaking in the debate, Gauke accused Labour politicians and the media of “scaremongering”, which he said was leading families to believe they had no way of accessing help. |
| The shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams, said the reports would give a “greater insight into the scale of their implementation and design failures during the mismanagement of the programme and must be published unredacted and unedited”. | The shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams, said the reports would give a “greater insight into the scale of their implementation and design failures during the mismanagement of the programme and must be published unredacted and unedited”. |
| In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found atwww.befrienders.org. | In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found atwww.befrienders.org. |
| Universal credit | Universal credit |
| Frank Field | Frank Field |
| Labour | Labour |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Heidi Allen | Heidi Allen |
| David Gauke | |
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