http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/benefit-reforms-one-year-on-universal-credit-is-not-working-9391283.html

Payments have been so haphazard that 92 per cent of those on Golden Gate's books using the new benefit are in rent arrears, and two have been evicted since moving on to it. A further 13 are on suspended possession orders or notices seeking possession. "The problem seems to be that the scheme is running but they're making it up as they go along", said Mr Fitzhenry.

Payments also go missing altogether. "Our first payments [from DWP] that were supposed to go to us were sent to the DVLA. We still don't know why, that's just what they told us. The computer system collapses if your payment day is a Saturday or a bank holiday, and then everything has to be rebuilt on a Monday and the money ends up going direct to the client. It's a computer error."

One man who the CAB worked with was sharing a flat with his brother and recently decided to leave the town after his universal credit didn't come through. He was supposed to start on the benefit in October but DWP could not work out how to split the rent on a shared tenancy. 

The DWP denies that it paid the DVLA by mistake and says that it has got the payment amounts wrong only once this month. It did not address how often mistakes were made in previous months.

hbinfo comment: Despite all the evidence from social landlords, claimants and advice centres (who really want the scheme to work) to the contrary, DWP comment  "Universal credit is transforming the benefits system, ensuring work pays and making it simpler for claimants to move into work. It's already having a positive impact".