Scottish charities call for halt to rollout of Universal Credit ahead of Commons debate

SCVO, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) have written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, ahead of today’s Opposition day debate on Universal Credit  in the House of Commons. The piloting of Universal Credit in areas across Scotland and the rest of the UK has shown that the system traps people in poverty, debt, and crisis, undermining their rights. Universal Credit Full Service will be fully available in Scotland by the end of 2018, with a migration from older legacy entitlements between July 2019 and March 2023. When Full Service rollout is complete, it is anticipated that 652,500 people in Scotland will claim UC. The letter calls for a halt to the rollout of Universal Credit so that the flaws in the system can be urgently addressed to protect people, families, and communities in Scotland and from across the UK from the negative impacts of a system that simply is not working. Read the letter here. Read SCVO's briefing here.