Universal Credit Shambles Wont Save Economy-Costing Billions

DecentLivingWage

So only ONE little jobcentre will do The Great Rollout Of Universal Credit (little Ashton Under Lyne) as it emerges that theres not enough skill, IT, or experience or training to deliver it competently - what on earth was the point when it was going to be so exorbitantly expensive, working poor families are on the breadline and millionaires are getting tax cuts - I despair!! Brewery, events .... come to mind!

DecentLivingWage

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9960777/Universal-credit-teetering-say-Labour.html

Telegraph Article for more info

DecentLivingWage

Universal credit start collapses and on the brink as news leaked out that only one job centre will start using it in April instead of the 4 in
north-west England which were supposed to start delivering the new system. The Gov has said that Ashton-under-Lyne, will now be accepting claims.
The others will 'test some of the computer systems that will be needed,' before accepting claims from July.

Dreadzone

Jees so it's the IT systems that are causing runaway bills?

I always thought that it was that too many benefits were paid out, especially housing benefit.

Moby

Dreadzone wrote: »

Jees so it's the IT systems that are causing runaway bills?

I always thought that it was that too many benefits were paid out, especially housing benefit.

How much benefit rates are is surely a political decision....competent IT systems isn't though!

DecentLivingWage

One of the consistent themes from this newbie gov is the lack of thinking things throiugh, conducting competent research, consultation etc This is widely recognised from within their own ranks and by the civil service - notable examples include of course the omnishambles blunders of HS2, Gove's education U turns etc. All of them costing our economy billions while tax payers fall behind with bills.

grizzly1911

Dreadzone wrote: »

Jees so it's the IT systems that are causing runaway bills?

I always thought that it was that too many benefits were paid out, especially housing benefit.

Well it was IT that scuppered the NHS plans. Massive universal IT systems implemented quickly usually do end up a money pit. Massive IT universal systems implemented over time are still a money pit but tend to work, a but better.

It is whether the fire fighting It and change introduction out weigh savings, over and above a political reduction in pre-existing and benefit rates.

CLAPTON

The current benefits system has done enormous damage to the lives of what otherwise would be normal working people and their families.

It was developed, for what were probably well intented reasons, in a piecemeal fashion making it hard in integrate into a single system.

Sadly the road to hell is paved with good intentions so it time the system was changed to release the poor ordinary people from it's pernicious efffects.

Doubtless there will be teething problems, so it makes sense to test it at one office initially and the roll it out slowly.

kabayiri

Dreadzone wrote: »

Jees so it's the IT systems that are causing runaway bills?

I always thought that it was that too many benefits were paid out, especially housing benefit.

Poor systems and rules and processes, when implemented in software, usually result in over-complex poor IT systems. Most people can see this.

The NHS IT system is a good example. The rules in Work Program are also over complex. If you are signed on benefits and work over 16 hours a week the placement company can make a claim; if you sign off benefits however (the familiar self employed trick people often refer to on here) then the company can make a claim for a job of even a few hours a week.

It is little wonder people and companies work these systems to their advantage.

It's a shame really. On the face of it, a consistent unified benefit system sounds a good idea.

DecentLivingWage

Why on earth did they lay job centre staff off too soon? Gov should have thought it through that extra manpower not less,plus their years of experience would be needed for a smooth transition!

stinktankcynic

Spending millions on systems that don't work...... No-one expected this to work properly did they?