Response to Universal Credit announcement
Neil Heslop responds to the government's announcement the rollout of Universal Credit will be delayed
In respond to the government's announcement that the rollout of Universal Credit will be delayed, our Chief Executive Neil Heslop said:
‘Amber Rudd would appear to have listened to warnings of dire consequences for disabled people of Universal Credit managed migration being rolled-out prematurely.
‘Leonard Cheshire like many charities has consistently called for a re-think and we welcome that the government can now independently assess Universal Credit migration and ensure it is not harmful.
‘Before mass migration there must be real confidence that the new system is safe, identifies people who need extra assistance and automatically moves people receiving legacy benefits onto Universal Credit.
‘The alternative would have disastrous consequences on some of the most vulnerable people in society, with many losing all financial support that they are entitled to and potentially facing even greater hardship.
‘We hope that the pilot scheme will help establish an accessible and fair welfare system, one in which disabled people are supported properly and any further unnecessary hardship is avoided.’
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For further information, interview requests and case studies, please contact Claire Farrell on claire.farrell@leonardcheshire.org or call 020 3242 0204.
