Universal Credit is a major reform that will transform the welfare state in Britain, making three million people better off and bringing £33 billion in economic benefits to society. At the heart of Universal Credit is a belief that work should always pay. Under the new system, benefit will be withdrawn gradually as claimants start work or increase their earnings, meaning their total income goes up.
Rightly for a programme of this scale, the Government's priority continues to be its safe and secure delivery. The controlled expansion of Universal Credit started in April 2013 and I am pleased that significant progress has been made to date. Universal Credit is now available for single claimants in every jobcentre in the country.
I think that it is positive that people claiming Universal Credit are 13 per cent more likely to be in work than people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, earning more money and more willing to take a job. Under Universal Credit, support worth up to 85 per cent of childcare costs will be available regardless of hours worked. This will give parents more flexibility to work and earn more money.