Labour is continuing a Conservative-era plan to save billions by speeding up the Universal Credit migration system, but critics have warned it could damage a 'highly vulnerable group'
The new Labour Department for Work and Pensions under Liz Kendall MP appears to be pushing ahead with a Conservative-era shake-up of the Universal Credit migration system, which is set to save the government around £5 billion in benefit payments. The policy is set to take effect this month, with thousands of legacy benefit claimants due a letter in the post.
Roughly 1.6 million people still receive essential cash help through this benefit, but many thousands of claimants have failed to make the migration. This has prompted organisations like Citizens Advice to warn that income-related ESA claimants are a "potentially highly vulnerable group", and that the DWP should implement better safeguards before rolling out the new system.
While it is not yet clear if the DWP is sending out these letters immediately, the newsletter reveals that the department is delaying or cancelling the rollout in areas where there is no support in place for ESA claimants to make the move.
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