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| Universal credit benefit roll-out '£600m under budget' | Universal credit benefit roll-out '£600m under budget' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The roll-out of universal credit will cost less than expected and is being carefully delivered "stage-by-stage", the work and pensions secretary says. | |
| Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC the new benefit was £600m under budget and had been implemented gradually on advice. | Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC the new benefit was £600m under budget and had been implemented gradually on advice. |
| The benefit begins its phased roll-out from Monday, after delays, with the aim of being offered in all job centres in England, Scotland and Wales by 2016. | |
| Labour called it a "failing programme" that would take years to implement. | Labour called it a "failing programme" that would take years to implement. |
| The scheme has also been criticised by the National Audit Office as badly managed and failing to deliver on its targets. | The scheme has also been criticised by the National Audit Office as badly managed and failing to deliver on its targets. |
| 'Waste and delays' | 'Waste and delays' |
| Universal credit combines six working-age benefits - including housing benefit, JSA and tax credits - into a single payment that is currently available, as part of a pilot, in nearly 100 job centres. | Universal credit combines six working-age benefits - including housing benefit, JSA and tax credits - into a single payment that is currently available, as part of a pilot, in nearly 100 job centres. |
| From Monday, the government begins a staggered roll-out of the benefit, for claims by single people, at a further 150 job centres. Once this is complete, it will be available in one in three jobcentres in Britain, ministers say. | From Monday, the government begins a staggered roll-out of the benefit, for claims by single people, at a further 150 job centres. Once this is complete, it will be available in one in three jobcentres in Britain, ministers say. |
| About 50,000 people in selected areas have claimed the benefit since it was introduced in April 2013 - far fewer than the government originally said would be getting it by now. | About 50,000 people in selected areas have claimed the benefit since it was introduced in April 2013 - far fewer than the government originally said would be getting it by now. |
| Computer problems have also caused delays and forced ministers to write off tens of millions of pounds. | Computer problems have also caused delays and forced ministers to write off tens of millions of pounds. |
| But Mr Duncan Smith told the BBC's Andrew Marr there was always "a certain amount of write-down" when developing IT systems. | But Mr Duncan Smith told the BBC's Andrew Marr there was always "a certain amount of write-down" when developing IT systems. |
| "Compared with the expenditure of something in the order of £2.4bn that was originally expected, we're now spending £1.8bn - and included in all of that we'll actually spend £600m less on this development than originally planned," he said. | "Compared with the expenditure of something in the order of £2.4bn that was originally expected, we're now spending £1.8bn - and included in all of that we'll actually spend £600m less on this development than originally planned," he said. |
| Asked about delays to the scheme, Mr Duncan Smith said launching benefit changes "all at once" did not go well - remarking on problems faced by previous governments with the introduction of tax credits. | Asked about delays to the scheme, Mr Duncan Smith said launching benefit changes "all at once" did not go well - remarking on problems faced by previous governments with the introduction of tax credits. |
| "So we brought in some other people, they looked again at it, they advised me and I took that advice - which was do it stage by stage, test it, then roll it out, then test the next bit, then roll it out, and that's what we're actually doing." | "So we brought in some other people, they looked again at it, they advised me and I took that advice - which was do it stage by stage, test it, then roll it out, then test the next bit, then roll it out, and that's what we're actually doing." |
| What is universal credit? | What is universal credit? |
| Universal credit Q&A | Universal credit Q&A |
| Meanwhile, government analysis released over the weekend suggested claimants in pilot areas were 13% more likely to have found work within four months than similar groups claiming JSA. | Meanwhile, government analysis released over the weekend suggested claimants in pilot areas were 13% more likely to have found work within four months than similar groups claiming JSA. |
| But Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves said: "The only person who believes Iain Duncan Smith's promises on universal credit is Iain Duncan Smith. | But Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves said: "The only person who believes Iain Duncan Smith's promises on universal credit is Iain Duncan Smith. |
| She said it would take "1,571 years" to roll out universal credit to everyone at the current rate, adding: "Labour wants universal credit to work and we'll call in the National Audit Office to do an immediate review of this failing programme to get a grip of the spiralling waste and delays." | She said it would take "1,571 years" to roll out universal credit to everyone at the current rate, adding: "Labour wants universal credit to work and we'll call in the National Audit Office to do an immediate review of this failing programme to get a grip of the spiralling waste and delays." |
| Ministers estimate that, once fully implemented, universal credit could boost the economy by £7bn every year because of an increase in people being in work and reduced benefit expenditure. | Ministers estimate that, once fully implemented, universal credit could boost the economy by £7bn every year because of an increase in people being in work and reduced benefit expenditure. |
| Are you claiming the universal credit benefit? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Are you claiming the universal credit benefit? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experience. Please include a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
| Have your say | Have your say |