This week sees the rollout of the Universal Credit Full Service to St Helens.
The botched rollout has continued despite widespread problems, including the failure of the online system to accept certain kinds of evidence and long waits for an initial payment with delays in processing claims.
In some other parts of the country, these delays have added to an already lengthy wait for initial payment that is built into the Universal Credit system.
The Citizens’ Advice Bureau has already highlighted that these delays have placed people at risk of eviction as rent arrears have built up due to the delays.
Figures from the Trussell trust also show food bank referrals have increased at more than double the national average in areas in which the Universal Credit Full Service has been rolled out.
The Government must urgently get to grips with these problems and fix Universal Credit so that people in St Helens are not put at risk.