COMING to the North-East very soon, Universal Credit (UC) is an allowance which rolls all six main benefits into one payment.

It is that far behind schedule that three Work and Pensions’ Secretaries have been appointed since Iain Duncan Smith first created this horror show.

The original design of UC was to simplify the complex benefits system and improve incentives to work more hours.

But since its launch in 2013 much controversy has surrounded it – lengthy delays in payment, acceleration in benefit sanctions and a work allowance that has been cut to ribbons. Work is no longer the best route out of poverty if you are allowed to keep only a few pennies out of every extra pound you earn.

If anyone does find that “magic money tree”, please direct it c/o Universal Credit as a matter of urgency.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar