Five-week universal credit wait for claimants is a baffling own goal

With an autumn budget on the horizon, now is the time for a clear-eyed assessment of what works in welfare policy and what doesn’t. The government has made welcome, pragmatic reforms to universal credit , from reducing debt deductions, to promises on the standard rate. These moves demonstrate an understanding that financial stability is key to helping people thrive.

Which is why the persistence of the five-week wait for a first payment is so baffling. It is a structural flaw that actively creates the very problems – debt, instability and dependency – that good policy aims to solve.

As one of Christians Against Poverty ‘s (CAP) clients who applied for universal credit explains, the impacts of the wait for support can leave people desperate and having to turn to charities for support.