New UC reports on the web today

https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/ruth-cain/universal-credit-how-women-will-fare-badly-under-new-welfare-system
…A “randomised controlled trial” of different types of incentive for these new “part-workless” has just been launched. One group in the trial will receive only “light” guidance, but the other group is to be summoned to “challenging” interviews after two months of not earning “enough” (e.g. 35 hours work at minimum wage)…..
….Under previous regulations, “lone parent flexibilities” allowed a limited latitude to single parents to turn down jobs which clashed with their childcare responsibilities. This has now been relegated to “guidance” applicable at the discretion of the JobCentrePlus “work coach” – who has the power, it will be recalled, to sanction claimants if s/he considers that their commitments have not been met….

UC will hurt freelancers -
http://www.freelanceuk.com/news/4774.shtml

DWP misses UC target
http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/dwp-likely-to-miss-universal-credit-target/7010319.article

[What in Hades is a ‘challenging’ interview? A ‘Bad Cop’ (or Robocop?) who bounces the subject off all four walls and then says ‘Dear -dear, aren’t you clumsy, you’ve gorn and hurt yerself.’’ ????]