Universal credit (UC) is a technocratic solution to a human problem. Rolling up six benefits into one payment in a way that mirrors a monthly pay cheque appears unimpeachably sensible – on paper. In an example of the clash between theory and practice, in some circumstances advances cannot be applied for face to face. In Scotland, the administration has used its new powers over welfare to pay UC every two weeks rather than every four. There is another reason, too: the DWP budget has to deliver billions of pounds of cuts between now and 2020.

Source: The Guardian October 18, 2017 18:33 UTC