Thread by @CPAGUK

THREAD: Hot on the heels of this morning's report, we have now released the latest round of top issues arriving at our #earlywarningsystem, revealing difficulties caused to people by recent changes to benefits including #universalcredit. Read it at cpag.org.uk/content/early-…

1. Poor understanding of #universalcredit eligibility results in people being wrongly advised to move across. This can leave people worse off with no transitional protection (which they would have got had they moved later through the managed process).

2. People getting significantly worse off when they move on to universal credit, again with no transitional protection. Cases include a couple, both disabled, with a child, who became £120/month worse off because of rules meaning they only get one disability top-up between them.

3. Problems with housing costs putting people at risk of homelessness. Multiple cases include a single mum whose abusive ex was still listed on her tenancy. She was only paid 50% of the housing element and wrongly told she had to change the tenancy, and now she has rent arrears.

4. Poor administration, with serious consequences. We continue to see claims with missing elements and people can't always tell there's been a mistake.

5. Real-time information problems. When the system thinks people's earnings are much higher than they are, awards are reduced and they can be left with next to nothing.

This has incredibly serious impacts. One mother had to send her child to live with his grandmother so he would have food and heating. One man had zero income and is living on foodbank support. Yet @DWP refuses to take into account claimants' payslips or bank statements.

6. Delays to resolution of problems, and frustration of appeal rights. We continue to see cases of people trying to exercise their right to challenge decisions and being rebuffed, or unable to see the results of challenges because their account has been closed down.

7. Support needs unmet by the digital system. We have seen inappropriate sanctions and people with serious health conditions unable to get support at home.

We are in a constructive discussion with @DWP about all these issues and hope that this report will help shine light on where problems are happening and the urgent need for solutions, so that changes can be made.

We'll be sharing more tomorrow about the actions we've already taken based on #earlywarningsystem evidence. If you'd like to submit cases to help us with this work, fill in the simple form at cpag.org.uk/early-warning-…. (ends)