Hot Seat

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith on the need to halt the Universal Credit roll-out and reform the system urgently

THEY say that timing is all in politics. But, I ask you, could there be a worse time than this for the Government to go ahead with the roll-out of Universal Credit in Carmarthenshire?

The scheme was rolled out in Llanelli two weeks ago, and I am very concerned about the impact of the five-week wait and record of delayed payments on my constituents.

It is shocking that so many people moving over to Universal Credit will be left out of pocket and forced into debt over the Christmas period through no fault of their own.

Just at that time when everyone wants to spend a little extra on the children, and when many offices will be closed.

Yes, we need to simplify the benefits system, but the Government has made such a mess of things that MPs have been calling for a pause, in order to sort out the problems. But to no avail.

And let’s remember that in very many households in receipt of benefit, there is at least one adult in work.

Tax credits and housing benefit are paid to those whose household income is deemed too low to meet the family’s needs.

The truth is that the taxpayer is very often subsidising the low wages of employers.

That’s why we need a real living wage – one that people can actually live on and is paid not just to the over-25s but to workers from the age of 18. That is the real way to make work pay.

I know that staff in the Department for Work and Pensions and the county council are doing what they can to help those moving over to Universal Credit, and that volunteers in local food banks are working hard to help, but the UK Government must halt the roll-out and reform the system urgently.