To wonder if there is a Universal Credit tsunami round the corner?

[ArsenicSoup]

I'm sure it was announced at Tory conference that the switch-over was being brought forward to February.

Now I can't find reference to it anywhere. Which is odd. Have they quietly dropped the idea? Or are they scarambling to be (half) ready in time?

The local CAB are advertising for volunteer advisers. I qualified nearly ten years ago while a SAHM and worked paid and unpaid in that area for a while. Work is slow (generally, so I have some spare time) and I can't sleep (tonight) and it's annoying me - are the CAB gearing up for chaos? Do they need the help? Is the coalition really going to push this through?

Although, reading that Q&A I won't move to UC anyway as I earn more than £339 per month.

Farking hell this is confusing!

I think I'll go back to saving like mad just in case and ignoring everything until they tell me to do otherwise. It's all far to stressful.

I think the 339 figure only applies to childless singletons/couples Randall

I think I'll go back to saving like mad just in case and ignoring everything until they tell me to do otherwise. It's all far to stressful.

I'm trying to decide who to write moany letters to. My MP is a Labour darling - I might start with asking whether they will scrap the whole thing regardless of all variables, if elected. Can hardly bring myself to waste my ink on IDS or Osborne.

I know in our area its starting next year (slaps myself for reading work email, thinking this is going to be a load of shit for me to deal with, so will park it till closer to the time), I also think its starting with new claimant for JSA/IS and ESA- but could be wrong I did only scan read...

being selfish i hope they start with the more simple claims,it makes sense as i suppose they then can see how it works,cant see them jumping straight in with family's,disability etc

we can but hope

I asked someone who knows today and he confirmed UC will be rolling out nationally from February, or at least to areas l8sted upthread.
However it will be NEW claims only, not existing claimants to jsa, esa etc and it is only for singles and couples without children. Also it's not been confirmed if there will be a housing benefit element.
Claims will also be manual ie, paper, spreadsheets as computer software not available.

In my area of approximately 80000 households, it's been estimated that this rollout will affect 800 people.

well atleast if that happens it will be some comfort to some,i know the enevitable will happen but later the better in my case,now going to stick my head back i the sand again

That seems to match up with what's on the links on here.
Certainly what's suggested by criteria on that UC calculator.

This is from the criteria page on the yougov site so I definitely won't be eligible until that changes.

*not expect household earnings in the next month to exceed £525 (couple claims only)

• not expect individual earnings in the next month to exceed £330

It will happen at some point though, I'm completely resigned to that. It doesn't matter who gets in, they won't scrap it. They've all confirmed that they agree with it in principle and there's been far to much invested in it to write it off now. The best we can hope for is that they tweak the finer details.

Claims will also be manual ie, paper, spreadsheets as computer software not available.

How stupid. I bet the front line implementing staff are delighted.

North West news Tonight. Universal credit live for families in various areas from today, including mine. Claims will be processed testing the new IT system.

I hope they're not going to start transitioning across from CTC/ WTC any sooner.

Oh they are testing it?

I can't remember any public policy ever being rushed in with so little information.

Its quite scary. Suddenly I'm frantically trying to read all
I can to see if this affects me now. I thought we had a few years, well at least a year.

It's important to note that at the moment it is only NEW claimants that will go onto UC.

Existing claimants will be transferred over at some point but it will take years.

The government holds a very ideological viewpoint towards UC and they will not consider any diluting of their plans. I suspect they're trying to get more claimants onto it before the election in May.

I suspect they're trying to get more claimants onto it before the election in May.

Yes indeed, but all a bit pointless considering that both old and new systems will run side by side until 2018, so if a new govt comes in in May, it will be just as easy (or easier) to scrap UC as to continue the roll out and migration plans.

Just seen this - "Job centres accept first universal credit claims for families";

www.insidehousing.co.uk/regulation/job-centres-accept-first-universal-credit-claims-for-families/7007023.article

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30194107

Interesting paragraph towards the end of this article.

All claimants in the north west of England will be on universal credit by the end of the year and the national rollout will begin next year.

So is that 5 weeks to transfer everyone in the north west over to UC? that would screw a few peoples christmas up. I hope for everyones sake that the article has it wrong.