The Government must pause Universal Credit rather than just tinker with it

Responding to the Budget announcement on Universal Credit yesterday, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson Stephen Lloyd said: "The government’s U-turns are welcome but beg the question: why have they taken this long? "The overall system is still not fit for purpose. It must be paused before even more of our most vulnerable citizens are made to suffer on the ideological anvil of this Conservative government. “Why is it that this government insists on rolling out Universal Credit, instead of just stopping and fixing it?" "The Chancellor ignored the £3 billion cut that was taken out of UC by George Osborne in 2015, which  effectively destroyed its aim of making work pay. "The self-employed and single parents are still being shockingly treated, and many people will still face the risk of eviction because of the government making it difficult for UC recipients having their rent paid direct to landlords.”