Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 36
36
Accepted
Government's delay in migrating ESA claimants to Universal Credit lacks a clear plan.
Conclusion
The Government’s decision to delay the move of ESA claimants to UC until 2028 means that the Department will not complete implementation of UC until at least six years later than it planned in 2018.75 The Department told us that the number of people on 66 C&AG’s Report, para 17. In addition to income-related Employment and Support Allowance, a separate benefit called “New Style Employment and Support Allowance” can also be claimed. This chapter concerns only income- related Employment and Support Allowance. 67 Q 43; C&AG’s Report, para 3.4 68 C&AG’s Report, para 18 69 C&AG’s Report, para 19 70 Q 49; Department for Work & Pensions, Completing the move to Universal Credit, 6 June 2022 71 Q 45; C&AG’s Report, Figure 14 72 C&AG’s Report, para 19 73 Q 50; Benefits calculators available on gov.uk 74 Q 51 75 C&AG’s Report, para 9 Progress in implementing Universal Credit 19 ESA was falling as people reached pension age and moved off the benefit. It expected that by 2028 there would be around 600,000 claimants left to migrate. It has not yet developed a plan for moving these claimants to UC.76 76 Q 49; C&AG’s Report, para 17 20 Progress in implementing Universal Credit
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the implicit recommendation to develop a plan, confirming a recent policy change to bring forward the migration of ESA claimants to 2024-25 instead of 2028. It states it has existing learnings and further plans to monitor the enhanced support journey for these claimants, with initial findings expected in 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 7.2 The department acknowledges the need to be ready for migration of the Employment and Support Allowance cohort in 2024-25 as opposed to 2028. This is in-light of the recent policy change to bring the migration of the Employment and Support Allowance cohort forward and deliver this element as part of the current Universal Credit Programme. 7.3 The department has existing learnings from the Discovery phases run in 2022 and 2023 which included claimants on Employment and Support Allowance. There are further plans to build upon this by capturing how effective the enhanced support journey is at supporting claimants on Employment and Support Allowance to Move to Universal Credit. 7.4 This monitoring will include, but is not limited to, claim rates and channel, time to claim and additional support needed. Initial findings based on Employment and Support Allowance claimants with Tax Credits will be emerging this calendar year, 2024.