Neil Couling

Director General DWP Services & Fraud. Former Senior Responsible Owner for the implementation of Universal Credit (Oct 2014-March 2025)

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Access to Work announcement https://t.co/KGo0FW8agz

[SSAC @The_SSAC]

From stakeholder to Committee member: read Fran Bennett's early reflections on SSAC from the 'other' side 👇
https://t.co/jJjVmhRMX8

[Steve Ellerd-Elliott @SeeStats]

Out Today: Universal Credit quarterly statistics, to 12 February 2026. Statistics for the number of people by geography, age, conditionality regime, duration, employment (including self employment), ethnicity and Move to Universal Credit https://t.co/wyspXqa5XH

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

I get praise in some quarters for staying with #UniversalCredit for 10 years as SRO - considered unusual. Stephen Kerr of the Scottish Government has been with devolution of social security from the start (from Smith Commission to now). A fine achievement

https://t.co/eXoDsoAXED

[Department for Work and Pensions @DWPgovuk]

The new Youth Guarantee Gateway will help almost one million young people looking for work over the next 3 years

It’s launching today in 81 Jobcentres across Great Britain and will be in all Jobcentres by the end of the year

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Latest #UniversalCredit commencement order which closes ESA (with some limited exceptions) from 30 June 2026. Also allows for shortened migration notice periods to make that possible (used before when closing JSA, IS & tax credits)

https://t.co/XrH4w34AbE

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Ministerial leadership of public service reform | Institute for Government. Another IfG report that is worth a read https://t.co/JEqBmH71WD

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

The 15-year story of Universal Credit | Institute for Government. Worth a read for anyone trying to deliver major projects. #UniversalCredit https://t.co/fIg5AtDHYa

[Civil Service World @CSWnews]

The £7.5bn savings across the public sector include almost £4bn generated by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, and £2bn by DWP
https://t.co/GMVCzPmlWb

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Good work by our DWP fraud teams

https://t.co/mBwBpwcyX7

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Latest #UniversalCredit stats. Some expansion in available information. Most notably how much of the growth in caseload derives from moving legacy cases over to UC from other benefits.

[Steve Ellerd-Elliott @SeeStats]

Out Today: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 8 January 2026. Statistics for the number of claims, starts, people and households on Universal Credit https://t.co/HwQSg9e5WP

[Resolution Foundation @resfoundation]

In some respects, Universal Credit has worked as intended.

The system has successfuly reduced very high marginal effective tax rates and participation tax rates ⤵️

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Latest #UniversalCredit statistics

[Steve Ellerd-Elliott @SeeStats]

Out Today: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 11 December 2025. Stat-Xplore data release on the number of people on Universal Credit by geography, age, conditionality regime, duration, employment and ethnicity https://t.co/e9r7kajPC8

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

@Salientwork Sad news indeed - a great non exec indeed

[Patrick Hughes @Salientwork]

So sad to hear of the passing of the wonderful Sarah Anderson. A great non-exec in the world of employability support in both Jobcentreplus and the Employment Service. We could do with more of her like. ⁦@NeilCouling⁩ https://t.co/Mf4c7IufYI

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

The #UniversalCredit stats today. Now nearly 800k former ESA claimants on UC. Nearly done.

[Steve Ellerd-Elliott @SeeStats]

Out Today: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 9 October 2025. Statistics for the number of claims, starts, people and households on Universal Credit https://t.co/qpKHrkqQKI

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

@rearend52 DM me some cases. We are clearing them as part of the plan, but I don’t mind checking all is in hand

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

Completing the move to Universal Credit: Completing the move for households previously on Employment and Support Allowance - https://t.co/CXYGDY12e9 https://t.co/CYQQkW6Yqo

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

On the fifteenth anniversary of the publication of the #UniversalCredit White Paper the latest stats on the final phase of its implementation. Nearly there

Move to Universal Credit, July 2022 to end September 2025 - https://t.co/CXYGDY0uoB https://t.co/EcK1F4J6LX

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

@rearend52 There’s no “huge backlog” but we are working through cases who have asked whether they qualify for SDP so any transition includes that in calculations at the point of a move. Will all be done in ti,e for closing ESA in March

[Neil Couling @NeilCouling]

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 (Commencement No. 35) (Abolition of Benefits) Order 2025 - legislation that closes Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance from April 2026 as part of the move to complete the implementation of #UniversalCredit. https://t.co/XrSKKdRbPE