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Ministers plan to press on with the roll out of the Government's benefit overhaul despite Theresa May admitting it had triggered “problems” for some families.

Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke signalled he will plough ahead with the introduction of Universal Credit, which has seen some households starved of cash for up to six weeks.

Tory MPs have demanded a slowdown as the project is rolled out across the country.

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And Mr Gauke admitted: “I have spoken to a number of colleagues about this and I quite understand people are concerned if someone is going to be waiting for six weeks when they haven't got any support.”

Nearly half of claimants ask for cash advances in payments, he revealed.

Speaking at a Conservative Party Conference fringe, he said more work was needed to tell claimants about advances available.

“There has always been within Universal Credit a system of advances so that people are able to access money early. That is then deducted over the course of the next six months, or in cases of extreme hardship can be nine months,” he said.

“We need to make sure that people are properly aware of advances. We don't want people saying, 'I can't get access to any money, what am I going to do?'”

At least 12 Tory MPs called for the rollout to be dramatically halted after former Whitehall troubleshooter Dame Louise Casey warned it was like "jumping over a cliff".

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Mr Gauke admitted implementing UC was “very much a test and learn (approach)”.

Bu he signalled there would be no slowdown, telling the HuffPost fringe in Manchester: “If you look at the total number of households that are going to move onto Universal Credit by the end of this process, we are 8% of the way through.

“Under the scheduled plans, by January we will be 19% of the way through.

“Nobody is talking about or reckless or risky approach.”

Earlier, the Prime Minister raised hopes the Tories could slow down the roll out of UC, which bundles six working-age benefits into one payment.

She told the BBC: “I recognise there have been problems in the way Universal Credit has been working out for people.

“That's something that David Gauke, the Work and Pensions Secretary, and I are looking at.”

Mrs May said "fundamentally most people agree Universal Credit is a good system," adding: "It ensures work always pays and the more you earn, the more you are able to keep."

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But she said: "We are looking at the specific issues that are being raised by people about that implementation.

"We need to roll out Universal Credit. What we also need to do is ensure we're addressing the specific issues that are being raised by people."