[user104658]

Once again I agree with most of what you have to say Joey. Though I would make the correction that Universal credit won't see a change in terms of rent going straight to claimants, that is already the case with "Local Housing Allowance" and has been for many years (it was that way when I was claiming it which would have been 5 or 6 years ago).

The real chaos I can see universal credit causing is being monthly lump sums rather than weekly. It's great for in-work benefits, with it all coming at the same time as a normal monthly pay cheque, makes it more like a wage top-up which is should be and is far more convenient for people who know how to manage a monthly budget.

However, for people who as you say have no skills with managing money, monthly will be a disaster. People will be broke by the 15th of the month and then getting themselves into serious issues, not eating properly or accumulating debt. It's all very well to say that it'll be their own fault, but real world skills are not taught to youngsters AT ALL in school, it's no surprise that people are bad at it. I've said before that I think there NEEDS to be a mandatory practical skills class introduced at schools for 14+ year olds. Managing a budget, paying bills, understanding and being responsible with credit, etc.