THE next phase of Universal Credit (UC) implementation will begin this month involving around 250 people in West Belfast.
The exercise, as part of the ‘Move to UC’, will include people who are in receipt of tax credits only and no other benefit, who live in the Andersonstown Jobs & Benefits office area.
The ‘discovery’ phase will provide a carefully managed approach to moving those still in receipt of legacy benefits to Universal Credit and will assist further when the programme is expanded later in the year.
Universal Credit has been in place since September 2017 for all new claims. It replaces Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment & Support Allowance, Housing Benefit (rental) and Tax Credits. Around 147,000 people are currently on Universal Credit in the North.
Deputy Secretary of Work and Health at the Department for Communities, Paddy Rooney said: “We are beginning to move people still on legacy benefits onto UC and have selected small numbers – in both an urban and rural area – so that we can carefully manage their move.
“Those involved in this three-month discovery exercise will be provided with a range of supports to ease the transition.
“We will use the experience gained from the exercise to inform the next stages of the move to UC to ensure that the right supports are in place for people, at the right time and in the right way.”
