Other Universal Credit

Read our most recent briefing on Universal Credit and Gender Equality here.

Universal Credit is a means tested benefit for people of working age that replaces six existing benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit

Universal Credit is currently being rolled out across the country.

The Women’s Budget Group has raised concerns about how Universal Credit will impact on gender equality. In particular we have been concerned that:

• Universal Credit creates disincentives for second earners
• Single monthly payments will make it difficult for some families to budget
• Payment of Universal Credit to a single person in a household is likely to increase women’s financial dependence on their partners and make them more vulnerable to financial and other abuse.

Additional briefings and submissions on Universal Credit:

Universal credit: A briefing from the UK Women’s Budget Group (22nd November 2017)  Available here. 

Supplementary written evidence submitted by the Women’s Budget Group to the Work and Pensions Select Committee – HC 576 Progress Towards the Implementation of Universal Credit (6th November 2012) Available here. 

Written evidence submitted by the Women’s Budget Group to the Work and Pensions Select Committee – HC 576 Progress Towards the Implementation of Universal Credit (7th September 2012) Available here. 

Universal credit: payment to joint claimants – Committee stage of Welfare Reform Bill 2011, House of Lords, Oct 2011 (Clause 97) (November 2011)  Available here.

Briefing Notes on Issues Concerning Second Earners, relating to Amendment 52C (November 2011) Available here. 

Welfare Reform Bill 2011 – Universal Credit payment issues: Briefing from Women’s Budget Group (September 2011)  Available here. 

Universal Credit Frequency of Payment – Information Briefing for Committee stage, HoL (September 2011)  Available here. 

Written Evidence Submitted by the WBG – White Paper on Universal Credit – Work and Pensions Committee (December 2010) Available here.