Legacy benefits claimants in Harrogate will be the first in the country to be moved onto the government’s controversial Universal Credit scheme, Amber Rudd has revealed.
The work and pensions secretary told MPs on Monday that Harrogate in North Yorkshire would be the site of the Universal Credit ‘managed migration’ pilot.
Until now, only new benefits claimants had been put on Universal Credit, which combines six traditional benefits into one payment. The pilot represents the first step in moving legacy benefits claimants onto the new system.
Rudd told MPs the test would begin “as soon as possible”.
“I want to be sure that the switch to Universal Credit is a hassle-free process for claimants and everyone receives the personalised service they deserve,” she added in a statement.
Those involved in the pilot will receive transitional protection to avoid cash loss at the point of moving to Universal Credit.
But while Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones welcomed the news, it is likely to cause worry among claimants.
A report last year warned that two in five families receiving benefits would lose out on £52 a week under Universal Credit, while Rudd herself admitted in February month that the benefits scheme could have led to an increased use of foodbanks in the UK.
The Labour Party in Harrogate has called on locals to sign its petition calling for a halt to the roll-out, saying the scheme had “pushed families into poverty”.