Millions of benefit claimants will soon have to prove their residency rights before being declared eligible for the new Universal Credit system. In a move that could be set to eclipse the Windrush scandal, 2.2 million people will be required to take a Habitual Residency Test by 2022 before being able to claim the new streamlined benefits. Most will have already been on benefits before the Universal Credit system was introduced in 2014 - which is being phased in over the next five years. It is feared that legitimate claims for Universal Credit will be delayed or worse denied if people are unable to produce relevant documentation. Work Coaches could be left helping people find the paperwork instead of finding them a job, warned benefits system expert Deven Ghelani.

Source: Daily Mail April 28, 2018 09:22 UTC