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🧵 NEW: Our report 'Listen and learn' sets out how the Government should improve Universal Credit (UC) for the 15 million people who rely on it. 13 years after its roll-out began, it’s time to get UC right. We've co-produced recommendations with @changingrealities.bsky.social participants 👇

Our 3-part fix for the five-week wait: ✅ Work coaches must explain advances properly ✅ Allow backdating by default (up to 1 month) ✅ Introduce discretionary grants for those in crisis (as Northern Ireland already does) Combined cost: ~£500m/year – a small price to reduce hardship.

UC's rigid monthly assessment punishes workers not paid monthly. A single parent earning £1,200 over 3 months could receive: • £5,079 in UC if paid monthly • £4,975 if paid 4-weekly (£104 less!) • £4,947 if paid irregularly (£131 less!) Same earnings, different outcomes 📉

These rigid assessment periods are especially problematic, given that 1 in 3 lower-paid workers aren't paid monthly ⤵️ Their pay cycles create income volatility when they claim for support through UC. Solution ➡️ Let claimants choose four-weekly rather than monthly assessment periods.