HUNDREDS of people have been moved to a new Universal Credit system with concerns over whether they will have less money.

Under the scheme, six different types of benefits are being rolled into one monthly payment. This includes jobseekers’ allowance, employment and support allowance, income support, housing benefit, working and child tax credit.

The Department for Work and Pensions show that 418 benefit claimants in Worcester had been moved onto the new Universal Credit system by last month.

Of those, 38 per cent were in employment. It is however a decrease of 28 per cent of people enrolled on it in September 2017.

Mike Dzioba, from Worcester's Job Centre, said: “Universal Credit offers tailored support, which includes more personalised help from a work coach. The new system is also more flexible, which means people can take on short-term work to develop their skills and build up their experience."

Work and pensions secretary, Esther McVey, said that disabled households would be £110 better off through the system, as she defended the Government's approach.

For working families it means that those who move into work can claim back up to 85 per cent of their eligible childcare costs.

However, Margaret Greenwood, shadow secretary for work and pensions said that 3.2 million families with children could lose around £50 a week under Universal Credit.

She added: “It is hard to believe now, but Universal Credit was designed to lift people out of poverty and smooth the transition into work to ensure that it always pays. The reality is that Universal Credit is a vehicle for cuts.”

According to Child Poverty Action Group, the system will affect 6,600 families in Worcester and 11,300 children.

Councillor Lynn Denham said: “Universal Credit is a complex system which has undergone numerous changes. There will be help and advice in Worcester, but we don't know if this will be enough. Labour Councillors are looking at how we can get a safety net in place to stop people becoming homeless and pushed into debt and despair."

Have you been affected by the new Universal Credit system? If so, contact the reporter on grace.walton@newsquest.co.uk