Universal credit in Northern Ireland: interim report

This report gives an overview of key issues related to Universal Credit in Northern Ireland:
1.Brief summary of the UK-level policy objectives that underpin the development of the new benefit.
2.Overview of the design of Universal Credit and its connections with claimant activation and austerity.
3.The challenge to the principle of parity in social security provision between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the post-2012 period
4.Differences in how Universal Credit will operate in Northern Ireland compared to Great Britain
5.Progress report on the roll-out of Universal Credit in Northern Ireland thus far.
The report details the ways in which (and reasons why) Universal Credit is being rolled out in a distinctive way in Northern Ireland. What is missing at present is an empirical engagement with how Universal Credit is being experienced by claimants in the province. The conclusion highlights key questions for forthcoming research on Universal Credit in Northern Ireland and the potential lessons for policymakers and stakeholders there and elsewhere in the UK.