Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 30
30
Rejected
Concerns raised regarding accuracy, transparency, and consistency of transitional protection calculations.
Conclusion
In written evidence, organisations who work with benefit claimants raised concerns about how the transitional protection arrangements were working, specifically about how the Department calculated amounts due, how accurate its calculations were, and the risk that people were receiving incorrect payments which they could not check themselves due to a lack of transparency. Citizens Advice, for example, said that it had helped 1,500 people with issues around transitional protection in 2023, but that uncertainty around how the transitional element was calculated had impacted the advice it had been able to 57 Qq 81–82 58 Q 83 59 PUC0002 60 PUC0005 61 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.22–2.23 Progress in implementing Universal Credit 17 provide.62 The Housing Systems told us that it had found the Department’s approach to calculating the transitional element to be inconsistent and that it had seen examples of amounts being calculated incorrectly.63
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the implied recommendation to address concerns about transitional protection transparency, stating the Migration Notice is effective and claimants prefer it concise. It notes a technical guide for advisors exists and is considering what other general information might be provided.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
6.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.2 The Universal Credit Migration Notice has been rigorously tested by researchers and designers and has been proven to be effective in live running. 6.3 Feedback from claimants is that they want the Migration Notice to focus on what they need to do and not be used as a vehicle for conveying other messages. 6.4 The department has produced a detailed technical guide for Advisors and is currently considering what other information might be provided more generally.