Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to the Government’s admission that Universal Credit is behind schedule, said:

“On the morning of the Autumn Statement this is yet another shambolic announcement from this out-of-touch Government.

“Iain Duncan Smith has today admitted what everyone has known for months – that Universal Credit is massively behind schedule. But just a couple of weeks ago he was telling Parliament the Government would ‘roll out Universal Credit on the plan and programme already set out’.

“It’s clear that David Cameron and Iain Duncan Smith have completely failed to get to grips with their flagship welfare reform and millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money have been written off as a result. Families facing a cost-of-living crisis deserve better than this.”