DOVERCOURT's job centre is going to become one of 150 in the country that will start taking Universal Credit claims from February 2015.

The Job Centre in the high street will merge six benefits into one, in a move that the Government said would simplify the system and mean people were always better off in employment.

The Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud, said: “We’ve already seen remarkable successes with universal credit claimants moving into work faster and staying in work longer.

“As part of our long-term economic plan, people in Harwich will have the financial security of knowing that working more pays more money.”

Initially, claims will be open to single jobseekers and people will get one monthly payment rather than fortnightly ones.

Universal credit also allows job centres to access real-time earnings data, making it possible to top up claimants’ earnings when they are on a low income.