THE roll-out of the widely criticised universal credit (UC) benefit scheme could be put on hold after Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd claimed today that her department has “particular concerns … about the most vulnerable in society.”

Her suggestion that the shake-up could be suspended while problems are fixed came after Labour MP Rosie Duffield, a member of the work and pensions select committee, told Ms Rudd that the panel has evidence showing that late UC payments and consequent financial hardship were causing women to be driven into prostitution.

Ms Rudd responded that these cases should be reduced by claimants getting money earlier, adding: “I believe that, overall, women will be winners from universal credit.”

From next July, about two million welfare claimants will have been moved onto UC, which combines all benefits into one payment per household, in a “managed migration” that is not due for completion until 2023.

UC has long been criticised for problems that force claimants to wait about five weeks for their first payment, leading to increased use of foodbanks and extortionate payday lenders.

Ms Rudd was also challenged over the decision to provide UC as a lump payment to a household, rather than individuals.

Conservative MP Heidi Allen said: “If the woman is out working and has an element of top-up from universal credit, she deserves to see that.

“In modern Britain, women deserve to be recognised, rewarded and supported in their own right. They are not an amorphous blob with a man.”

Ms Rudd said the principle of a single household payment was intended to be “fair” to taxpayers.