Universal credit is the greatest modernisation of the welfare system in a generation – and it is helping people improve their lives through work. The truth is, she received an advance payment of £688 on the same day the Guardian ran its story, and four days after she had submitted her claim to universal credit. That was not as a consequence of publicity surrounding her case, but universal credit working as it should. That includes continuing to pay two weeks’ rent for people already in receipt of housing benefit while they move on to universal credit; removing the seven-day wait period; and increasing advance payments to 100% of their indicative universal credit award and extending the repayment period to a year. These changes will come into play by the spring, starting with the improvements to advance payments in January.

Source: The Guardian December 20, 2017 19:18 UTC