PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Universal Credit (17 November 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 213752, stating that plans for national roll-out of universal credit to all jobcentres and local authorities from February 2015 have been accelerated so that the bulk of the migration will be complete by 2019, and by what date the bulk of the migration was due to have been completed prior to that acceleration.

Asked by:
Sir Stephen Timms (Labour)

In the WMS (link below) of 13 October 2014 the Secretary of State confirmed plans for the next stage of implementing universal credit to all remaining jobcentres and local authorities as we progress national expansion through 2015-16 and secure delivery of universal credit across Great Britain.

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/2014-October/13th%20October/17.DWP-welfare-reform.pdf

Universal Credit is being implemented in a safe and secure manner using a test and learn approach and it is taking this approach that has allowed our plans to expand national roll out. We will keep all longer-term plans under review as we progress, securing long-term transformation of the welfare state and UK labour market in a safe and secure way.

Should there be no change in the labour market outlook or the pace at which claims are migrated, the current business case assumes for planning purposes the bulk of this exercise will be complete by 2019.

Answered by:
Mr Mark Harper (Conservative)
20 November 2014