The government's failing universal credit system needs a thorough redesign of its software even though jobseekers are currently using it.
The Guardian is reporting that new head of project Howard Shiplee has ordered the work despite Ian Duncan Smith's department having already spent a massive £270 million on it.
The newspaper writes:
"Senior staff have warned that even after two years systems to prevent fraud and breaches of very sensitive financial data, categorised as "incredibly critical" to the project, are yet to be completed.
Other essential pieces of software including a calculator for staff to advise clients whether millions of their claimants will be financially better off doing more work, have only been ordered from Accenture in the last few weeks. "Without that they can't calculate when someone does go into work, what their top up should be," one source said."
These are not minor issues, but central to the viability of Universal Credit. The government, and Duncan Smith in particular, have invested a lot of political capital in the scheme and are likely to persevere with it even with its many problems and the fact that it doesn't do what it is supposed to - not all people who get work are better off.