UC expansion .. doable? .. at what cost?

Someone seems very keen give the impression that that UC will have reached some sort of “point of no return” by May 5th ( despite having only a few tens of thousands of claimants on the UC books).

The current expansion plans are particularly remarkable given that this is all to be delivered with the reportedly creaking and dysfunctional “non-digital” system.

Here are some quotes from the latest PCS update - they’re not terribly encouraging.

“The current IT being used on UC is beset with problems…  PCS fears that the IT will not be able to support the large expansion of UC claims and may be a recipe for disaster.

“There is no doubt that UC needs additional staff urgently, as arrears of work are starting to accrue, however PCS fears that the numbers being exported to UC from Benefits and Contact Centres are leaving those parts of the business under-staffed.”

“..the feedback that PCS has received for members working in the service centres so far has not been positive.”

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/department_for_work_and_pensions_group/dwp-news.cfm/universal-credit

I think in your first line you’ve hit on the precise intentions and M.O. of certain characters: to get people to believe that ‘UC is here to stay’.

Months and months ago I sat in horror at a ‘stakeholder’ presentation as a UC manager told all of us, in effect, ‘There are no problems, it is going to happen, and nothing is going to stop us’.

Not evidence, not common sense, not nuffink mate.