Universal Credit waiting days: statement from Paul Gray
Paul Gray provides an update on the committee's consultation on the introduction of Universal Credit waiting days.
The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) undertook a consultation on the introduction of Universal Credit waiting days last year as part of its formal scrutiny of the relevant draft secondary legislation. We are grateful to our stakeholders who responded and provided valuable evidence that helped shape our advice to Government.
Lord Freud, the Minister for Welfare Reform, has provided an interim response to our report in which he states:
I wish to consider fully the points you raised in your response before bringing forward the regulations. I will write to you in due course to update you on progress.
Accordingly, the government confirmed yesterday that the implementation date for introducing 7 waiting days in Universal Credit has been revised from 27 April 2015 to 1 July 2015.
Paul Gray, Chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee, said:
We look forward to receiving a full response to the points made in our report following the general election. In the meantime, we would like to thank those stakeholders who contributed to the consultation process.
Read the document that confirmed the revised date – Budget 2015 policy costings (PDF).