General Chat

Of course it will be a disaster.
Not least because the staff who have to administer it aren´t sufficiently knowlegeable(It´s new to them too) & also most probably the new software will not be fit for the purpose & the powers that be will have been told that it doesn´t do what the staff need it to do, & the staff will have been told not to be defeatist & give it a chance.
6 months down the line, chaos will reign. :-0 :-0
Also, monthly payments are a disaster for people on low incomes. It´s possible to manage for a couple of days if you run out at the end of a week, but a MONTH.
Rent arrears will rocket if Housing Benefit is paid direct to the claimant, costing Local Authorities thousands in rent arrears cases being taken to court. Honestly if you had to choose between feeding & clothing your kids & paying the rent & you had money in your hand, what would you do? By paying rent direct to the landlord, at least people keep a roof over their heads.
Hopefully I will be proved wrong, but I´m not holding my breath.

The software is being developed in India under the DWP "Offshoring policy"" i.e. get it done on the cheap. Just like certain banks and the DVLC.

The contractors promise to adhere to confidentiality agreements.

The chances of the system being half way up and running by June 2015 are vanishingly small. If it goes tits up then IDS is toast as most of the top tory dogs are hostile to this project.

Along with the bedroom tax, DLA changes and the upcoming badger massacre it will make good press copy though.

Rush for the cliff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWGZv_4bmiI

Changing from weekly payments to monthly is going to be very difficult for a lot of people. How are those who are living from week to week going to manage for 4 weeks without any money?

They would be out of luck at our small library Maggie, two computers and 30 minute time slots. Already they are used by people obliged to log in and look for jobs, upload cvs , and the librarian is often called to help by people who are not used to computers.

As far as I can see, there are going to be problems before you start!

The online form that takes approximately 45 minutes to fill in, doesn't save. This was waffled away this morning by a minister saying it was 'for security' reasons - yet, as was pointed out, when a tax form is filled in online, it saves.

So - good luck and let's hope you don't make a mistake!!!

Imagine, when it's fully rolled out, the thousands of people who don't own a computer queuing in jobcentres and libraries :-(

One thing that occurs to me, I know it will be new claims to start with, but what will happen if someone like my friend has to claim. I helped her fill in all the forms for housing benefit...if this has to be done online, who will make sure that facilities are available to people who are housebound and can't use a PC?
It will have to be done over the phone, which will be even more difficult than form filling, at least you have time to re-read the form to make sure you have all the details right.

Good questions RamblingRose, and I think there are a lot more that need answers, if they get this wrong it could become Cameron's Poll Tax.

The 'test run' using the software that was set up failed dismally with some being paid ( housing benefit I think? ) twice, some late and some not at all.

'In theory' it would be an improvement if all benefits were delivered together...but in practice I can see chaos all round.

Will it be paid 'in advance' or 'in arrears' as such...ie if you are going to make a claim will you be without any money for a month? or will you owe them a month's money if you come off benefits?

Today sees the start of the governments new Universal Credit Benefit, initially it was to be tested in four areas involving about 7,000 claimants, however for reasons only known to those in The Department of Works & Pensions, it is to be tested in only one area and will only involve a few hundred new claimants, and these will be single unemployed individuals with straight forward claims:-S

The new Universal Credit when fully rolled out could affect nearly eight million people, and it will replace six benefits, the main things it will include are:-

A single, monthly payment

The inclusion of financial help to pay rent, which is currently paid directly to landlords

An online-only claiming process, with accounts managed online

The benefit paid to households, rather than individuals, and put straight into bank accounts

Benefits automatically adjusted depending on earnings as employers will provide earnings information using HMRC's PAYE Real Time Reporting System.

Although I like the thinking behind rolling six benefits into one benefit, I have reservations about the way this is being handled, and they are:-

1) Why is it not being properly tested to ensure it works before it is introduced
2) Is it too dependent on others providing information, i.e. HMRC and Employers
3) Should rent be paid direct to tenants
4) Should payments be made monthly
5) Will immediate help be given to people as a result of system failures or errors

If past governments hopes, that new computer systems will deliver, is anything to go by, I fear with this one we will end up with a more chaotic system than exists at present :-(