Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to monthly Universal Credit figures, said:

“These figures show Universal Credit is slowly grinding to a halt with fewer and fewer people joining each month. The latest figures show just 560 people started claiming Universal Credit in March compared to 630 in February and 1010 in January.

“Ministers promised one million people would be on Universal Credit by April 2014, but today’s figures show there are fewer than 6,000 people are on the programme. David Cameron must urgently get a grip of this failing policy.”

Ends

Editor’s Notes:

1. The monthly Universal Credit figures are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/318856/universal-credit-first-release-june14.pdf

The first row of Table 2.1 on page 5 shows the number of people starting on Universal Credit by month - Jan 14 - 1010, Feb 14 - 630 and March 14 - 560

2. The equivalent chart is:

3. On 1st November 2011 Iain Duncan Smith promised over one million people would be claiming Universal Credit by April 2014. More: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/iain-duncan-smith-sets-out-next-steps-for-moving-claimants-onto-universal-credit