Universal Credit

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.

Work and pensions secretary Esther McVey The UK government is to amend regulations so that all 18-21 year olds will be entitled to claim support for housing costs through Universal Credit.

Social landlords in Scotland are likely to experience significant financial pressures as a consequence of changes to the benefit system – according to research from Mobysoft, a provider of rent collection software to the social housing sector. The study – which covered around one third of the UK

Jeane Freeman The Scottish Government has extended its flexible Universal Credit options to all recipients in full service areas to help more people manage their money.

More than one million calls to the Universal Credit helpline have been abandoned without claimants getting an answer within a 12-month period, according to new statistics. Figures obtained by Labour MP Jim McMahon through a parliamentary question, and reported by ITV, show that 1.3 million calls wer

Government changes to Universal Credit which will make it easier for direct payments to be made to landlords have been welcomed by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed to the trade body that landlords will no longer need tenants’ con

A new group is to be established by Stirling Council to ensure residents on Universal Credit continue to be supported. Universal Credit was piloted in Stirling in May 2015 for a small percentage of residents, and fully implemented in June this year for anyone of working age on a low income in or out

Peter Steele recently met with 11 housing associations across Glasgow over the course of a week. Some of the key themes and challenges they face are highlighted in Mobysoft's latest blog. The impact of Universal Credit has been felt by Scottish RSLs (Registered Social Landlords) and other institutio

Dr Philippa Whitford MPs will this week continue to put pressure on the UK government to “tackle the flaws” in the roll out of Universal Credit before it forces “more into poverty”.

The UK government has announced significant changes to Universal Credit including scrapping the seven day waiting period before a person can apply. In the Autumn Budget announcement yesterday Chancellor Philip Hammond responded to the increasing pressure from MPs, charities and the housing sector by