Experiences of families on universal credit 'dismissed' by government

Speaking as chair of the Commons work and pensions committee, Field accused the government of treating the committee and indirectly its witnesses, including single parents, "like dirt".

The former welfare reform minister, who has been Labour MP for Birkenhead since 1979, and now sits as an independent, chaired an inquiry examining how universal credit was making it harder for low-income parents to access childcare.

Its 2018 report detailed evidence from families and experts, and the government then produced the allegedly errant  formal response.

The committee has taken the rare step of publishing a follow-up report, focusing on the government's response.

Under convention the government has to respond to committee reports within two months.

Concerns raised by the committee last year were that parents are having to cover initial childcare costs, gather receipts and then wait to be reimbursed by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Some parents found that handwritten receipts from small childcare providers were not accepted.

In some cases parents had to turn down work because they could not cover the upfront costs of childcare.

The committee's follow-up report says that the government's response "may well be the most skimpy and disappointing response we have ever received".

"Overall the response gave the impression that the government was simply dismissing the very serious problems that are plaguing parents who are trying to get into work."

It adds: "We have taken the unusual step of producing a report on the government's response in order to urge it to think again and to offer a more substantive response to our recommendations."

In launching the report Field said: "We on the committee are frankly sick of these disrespectful government responses that treat us like dirt and fail to engage with our robust, evidence-based conclusions. It's not clear they've even read this one.

"Worse, in responding this way, government dismisses the experience and evidence of the individuals and organisations that have taken the time, and made the effort, and are working with us to try to fix the unholy mess that is universal credit.

"This response in particular is simply not acceptable, and that is why we are taking the unusual step of issuing this report, demanding that they go back, look at what we and our witnesses have said, and come up with a second, decent response. This will not do."

The original report detailed evidence from, among others, Thuto Mali, a single mother who had to turn down a job offer because she could not fund the upfront costs of childcare before she started work. The problems from universal credit forced her family to turn to a food bank.