Universal Credit Update

Update: The government has confirmed that they won’t pause the roll-out of universal credit, the controversial scheme that’s supposed to give financial help to people struggling to get by.

Last week, 38 Degrees members joined together with charities and MPs to demand a pause in the roll-out while problems – like long waits to receive a first payment – were fixed. While the government’s refused to pause the scheme, they’ve said they’ll make it easier for people to get a loan to tide them over while they wait for their first payment. This will stop people from falling behind with bills, or running out of money.

It’s certainly not everything we wanted. But this could make life a little easier for families struggling to get by.

As Universal Credit is rolled out to more places, the 38 Degrees staff team will be keeping a close eye on what it means for people all over the country. If there are problems, there’ll be hundreds and thousands of us who are ready to spring into action.

PS: If you’re worried that you might be affected by the roll-out of Universal Credit, you can get advice here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/what-universal-credit-is/