MoJ apologises for computer divorce error. Will DWP have to do the same with Universal Credit?
The Royal Courts of Justice in London. Thousands of divorce settlements were miscalculated [Image: Neil Hall/Reuters].
What if Universal Credit – when/if a fully computerised version of it finally goes live everywhere – has a similar … mistake, shall we say?
Millions of people could be out of pocket as a result.
The UK government – whether the current Conservative louts or a future administration of any other colour – would be well-advised to demand that employers pay the living wage, allowing it to concentrate on a much less complicated scheme.
The financial assets of more than 3,600 couples were miscalculated in divorce and separation proceedings due to a faulty Ministry of Justice website.
The extent of the errors caused by the online self-assessment form was acknowledged in a written parliamentary statement by the justice minister, Shailesh Vara, on Thursday, who has apologised. Some people may have to reopen and renegotiate completed divorce settlements.
The fact that the software had been miscalculating assets since at least April 2014 was spotted by a family law specialist, Nicola Matheson-Durrant of the Family Law Clinic in Ascot, Berkshire, and revealed by the Guardian shortly before Christmas.
Form E on the MoJ website failed to record liabilities or debts as minus figures, thereby falsely inflating the wealth of parties who recorded their possessions.
Source: MoJ apologises for faulty divorce settlements calculator | Life and style | The Guardian
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chaos in libraries, increased ID theft, increased violence, more division in communities, increased crime, mental health trust issues, will all be caused when this is rolled out.
these points were raised together with human rights query with the DWP. they have not answered the question regarding legality or those mentioned in this post. ambiguity seems to be their approach to queries I raised via a standard letter.