The DWP announced on 16th May that the six demonstration projects, designed to assess the amount of assistance that tenants will require under Universal Credit (UC) with budgeting opening bank accounts and paying rent to their landlord, have been extended by six months, until December 2013. www.gov.uk/government/news/direct-payment-projects-extended-for-6-months

Significantly, this means the projects won't be concluded until after the planned national rollout date of October 2013 and may yet be further indication that the rollout is likely to be delayed, certainly in terms of the numbers affected, until 2014 at the earliest.

The DWP Universal Credit website provides further support for this view. It's now stating: "October 2013 - introduction of Universal Credit - We will introduce Universal Credit in a managed way, progressively rolling it out nationally from October 2013.The transition from the current system of benefits and tax credits to Universal Credit will be gradual and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2017."