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The roll-out of the Government’s flagship welfare policy Universal Credit will now happen “seamlessly” after months of difficulties, a minister claimed today.

Kit Malthouse, appointed in last month’s reshuffle to the Department for Work and Pensions, said changes to the system would make a “massive difference” and address “the bulk of issues”.

It follows the chequered introduction of the new benefit, which replaces six others, with delays and administrative glitches that left some recipients facing hardship and destitution.

Huge pressure, including from Tory MPs, forced ministers to make changes including shortening the six-week wait for the first payment and making it easier to get advance loans.

In his first interview in his new role as minister for family support, housing and child maintenance, Mr Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, said: “The fact that we’ve now dealt with some of the execution difficulties that have arisen for some of the first few hundred thousand people going through, means that in my constituency later this year, I’m pretty confident about our ability to deliver it seamlessly and well.”

Mr Malthouse also defended his boss Esther McVey, the fifth secretary of state since 2016 and the focus of personal attacks from the Left over her record while previously serving as a minister in the department. He said she had been “maligned pretty unfairly”.

He also criticised shadow chancellor John McDonnell for his “appalling” remarks over lynching Ms McVey, which the Labour politician has claimed were a repetition rather than an endorsement. Mr Malthouse said “people will judge” Mr McDonnell for refusing to apologise.

The Tory MP, a former deputy mayor of London, suggested the old system that UC replaced was “kind of fraudulent” as it effectively trapped people in poverty. He said it was time for the Conservatives to “go on the front foot” over welfare because the Government now had a good story to tell.

The latest official figures show that 38,000 of the 52,000 London households which had had their benefits capped in 2013 were no longer subject to the regime. Of these, 17,000 had found work, many in full-time positions, while 4,000 had reduced their housing costs and a further 17,000 had issues which exempted them.

Mr Malthouse said ministers should be more “open-minded” and less defensive about the reasons why thousands were forced to use food banks and “try to understand the drivers”. He added: “People get into all sorts of financial jams for all sorts of perfectly understandable reasons.”

The MP, who supported Theresa May’s 2016 leadership bid, also warned Tory colleagues to “shut up and get behind” the Prime Minister.