Abstract
This research report by Dr Rita Griffiths and Dr Marsha Wood explores how the system of monthly assessment in Universal Credit – used for assessing entitlement, recovering debts and calculating payment – is affecting income security and financial well-being in working households. The research tracked month-to-month changes in earnings and household income, in real time, between 2022 and 2023, among 61 Universal Credit (UC) claimants in 42 working households with one or two earners in paid work or self-employment. A key focus was the system of monthly assessment, in particular the monthly means test, in which the UC payment is automatically adjusted upwards or downwards based on reported changes in a household’s income in the previous month.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Bath |
| Publisher | Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath |
| Number of pages | 180 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2024 |
Acknowledgements
We are indebted to the participants who agreed to take part in this study, some of whom have been involved in our research about Universal Credit, and have remained in contact, for more than five years. Their engagement and steadfastness in staying the course over the year-long period of data collection were invaluable in providing us with a unique and revealing insight into the lives of working claimants and how they experience Universal Credit.We would also like to thank the members of our advisory group, listed below, who gave generously of their time and expertise. Particular thanks go to Jane Millar for her ever-helpful advice and extensive knowledge of social security benefits and research. Maria Jose Ventura Alfaro, our researcher, and Jo Porter, our long standing transcriber, were both invaluable members of the project team.
We are also grateful to Aberdeen Financial Fairness Trust for their generous funding, and to Karen Barker for her advice and support.