Universal Credit

West Dunbartonshire residents are being urged to use a range of council supports to make sure they are prepared for the arrival of Universal Credit next month. The new system, brought in by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), means housing benefit, income support, income-based job seekers al

Derek Mackay Finance and economy secretary Derek Mackay has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to outline the Scottish Government’s “deep concerns” about the impact UK welfare reforms are having on the people of Scotland.

Martin Armstrong As Universal Credit continues to roll out across Scotland’s biggest city, Wheatley chief executive Martin Armstrong explains how the housing, care and property-management group is preparing tenants in Glasgow and beyond for the challenges it presents.

Low-income households are losing out on hundreds of pounds a year because of a failure of the Universal Credit system to indentify how and when to pay claimants, a charity has warned. A report from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has identifies a range of problems arising from the rigid system

Marshall Gemmell Blairtummock Housing Association, Gardeen Housing Association and Provanhall Housing Association are working in partnership with Connect Community Trust to provide a new welfare rights service for tenants.

Bruce Forbes A housing association director has described the arrangements put in place by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for the introduction of Universal Credit as “shambolic”.

The four UK housing federations have issued a joint call to the UK government to reform the “flawed” Universal Credit system which they say is causing debt, suffering and hardship for the families they house. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, England’s National Housing Federatio

Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey has been forced to apologise after being criticised by the national audit watchdog for making “incorrect” claims about Universal Credit in Parliament.

A damning report from the National Audit Office (NAO) has concluded that Universal Credit has not delivered value for money and it is uncertain that it ever will. Since the NAO last reported on Universal Credit in 2014, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has made some progress in managing the

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) and partners are working together to provide information and advice to residents on the Department for Work and Pensions’ roll out of Universal Credit (UC) Full Service in the Borders, which began yesterday. The roll out of UC is taking place in stages across the UK

Graeme Brown A 7% increase in the number of applications for financial assistance towards housing costs made by households claiming housing benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit show the increased pressure faced by households across Scotland, Shelter Scotland has warned.

Wellhouse Housing Association welcomed the National Housing Federations of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England last week to discuss tenant led boards and the possible impact of the full roll out of Universal Credit (UC) as part of a UK nations information sharing event. The Federations vis

Households renting in the private and social sectors have been severely affected by UK government welfare policies, according to a new report. The Impact of UK Welfare Policy on Housing report highlights the negative effect of Universal Credit on both tenants and landlords, due to the major increase

Campaigners have urged the UK government to urgently halt Universal Credit as new figures show foodbank use in Scotland has soared to record levels. Figures released by the Trussell Trust show a 17% increase in people relying on foodbanks to subsist - against a UK average rise of 13%.

Sally Thomas Secretary of state for work and pensions Esther McVey MP will face further calls to pause Universal Credit when she appears before the Scottish Parliament’s social security committee today.