The Citizens Advice service in Sefton is calling for the government to fix the new ‘deeply flawed’ Universal Credit system as they claim it is creating more problems and pushing many people into debt.
Staff at Citizens Advice Sefton (CAS) are warning that Universal Credit is putting people’s financial security at risk as they wait six weeks or more for their first payment.
The call comes as new research from Citizens Advice reveals people it helps with money matters are more likely to be in the most serious types of debt – where you could lose your home or even face prison – if they are on Universal Credit than if they’re on one of the benefits it replaces.
Many people have already turned to Citizens Advice Sefton for help with Universal Credit and the charity says the numbers struggling will grow as more people move onto the benefit, which is being rolled out across the UK in full this month.
The charity is urging action so no one applying for Universal Credit waits longer than six weeks for an income, and that anyone who needs it gets a pay- ment within two weeks that they do not need to repay.
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