UNIVERSAL Credit has had a positive effect on the lives of people in Swindon and right across the country, MPs have said.

It comes after recent claims that the rolling out of Universal Credit has resulted in claimants being left up to six weeks without any income before the new benefit kicks in.

Politicians in Swindon, however, have fully backed the benefit, reminding people of the Department for Work and Pension’s aim of “reducing poverty by making work pay, and to helping claimants and their families to become more independent”.

The benefit, which during its 2013 launch enjoyed, and continues to enjoy, strong cross-party support, replaces six means-tested benefits including housing benefit, child tax credit and working tax credit.

It is claimed that UC brings greater clarity and efficiency to a formerly complex benefit system, a system that often confused claimants, making it more difficult to access the help they were entitled to.

In a joint statement, North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, South Swindon MP Robert Buckland and council leader David Renard extolled the benefit’s virtues.

They said: “We know from our visits to Swindon Jobcentre that both claimants and Jobcentre staff believe the new system is better than its predecessor.

“It is easier to understand than the previous benefit system, more flexible than its predecessor and better designed to ensure those in receipt of Universal Credit are able to access tailored assistance via Universal Support.

“Previously, people in need of support had to negotiate a minefield of different types of support and when they did receive support, they encountered an absurd cliff edge which meant that any entitlement to support stopped once they worked more than 16 hours a week.

“But with Universal Credit, the system simplifies six benefits into one and removes the cliff edge which allows a gradual return to, or progression, in employment.”

They also highlighted the fact that an independent review of UC concluded that those who had already been transferred across to the new benefit were 13 per cent more likely to have been employed, on average working more days and earning more.

Universal Credit is available to people who are in work and on a low income, as well as to those who are out of work. Most claimants on low incomes will still be paid Universal Credit when they first start a new job or increase their part-time hours.

However, aware of the problems that some people have faced while transferring to the benefit, Swindon Borough Council last week agreed to monitor the situation.