Creditworthy? Making Universal Credit fit for purpose

Speakers

Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary

David Finch, Senior Economic Analyst at the Resolution Foundation

Mike Brewer, Professor of Economics at the University of Essex

Stephen Brien, former Expert Adviser at the Department for Work and Pensions

Torsten Bell, Director of the Resolution Foundation

11am-12.30pm

2 Queen Anne’s Gate

London, SW1H 9AA

Doors open at 10.30am when refreshments will be available.

The scale of change that Universal Credit is bringing to our welfare system means that the rollout was always going to bring to light implementation challenges. These need to be addressed, but we also need to focus on the bigger question of how Universal Credit measures up against the big labour market challenges Britain faces today.

Does Universal Credit still make work pay? Does it help or hinder people’s chances of escaping low pay? And which groups fare better or worse compared to the tax credit system it replaces?

At an event at its headquarters the Resolution Foundation presented the findings from new research on what Universal Credit does for people’s work incentives and progression opportunities. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abrahams offered her take on UC, followed by an expert panel discussion and audience Q&A.