UNIVERSAL credit is encouraging more people to look for jobs, according to new Government figures.
Interviews with more than 2700 benefit claimants showed that those claiming universal credit spent about 27 hours a week seeking work, compared with 13.6 hours for those on jobseeker's allowance (JSA), and applied for more jobs.
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the credit, launched earlier this year to replace a number of benefits including income support, was starting to create a "cultural shift".
But Citizens Advice said ministers should not be drawing conclusions from the "very early" findings, adding it found that nine out of 10 of its clients were not ready for universal credit.
Chief executive Gillian Guy said: "The only people to have moved on to the new benefit so far are single people with no dependants.
"A slow introduction is sensible but the small number of pilots does not reflect the huge challenges coming round the corner."
The Department for Work and Pensions said more people on universal credit were confident of finding work than those on JSA.
Mr Duncan Smith said: "It is great that claimants are getting the help they need from our Jobcentre Plus advisors and that they feel confident about managing changes such as monthly payments.
"It is vital that we continue to build on the progress made in these pathfinder areas and ensure that Universal Credit makes work pay."
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