From Working-Tax Credit to Universal Credit: is the older workforce ready? Perspectives from employees and employers in Northern Ireland

Universal Credit (UC) entails an unprecedented expansion of welfare conditionality to those in work. Working-age adults (16-64) in the United Kingdom who are working part-time and on a low income will be subject to work related requirements until they earn the equivalent of 35 hours per week at national living wage. It is estimated that workers age 50 to 64 will comprise nearly a quarter of those claimants subject to in-work conditionality. To investigate the perception of UC and in-work conditionality for workers aged over 50 in Northern Ireland, a small-scale qualitative study was carried out with people in receipt of Working Tax Credit (WTC) who are set to be migrated to UC. The researchers also interviewed employers who have people over 50 in their workforce. The findings show that there was limited awareness of UC and little support for in-work conditionality.