Waiting time for benefits on Universal Credit should be cut from six weeks to one month, Iain Duncan Smith has said.

The architect of the Tories' flagship welfare policy is urging the government to reduce the wait which is pushing some claimants into rent arrears.

The former Conservative leader has told his party to use next month's budget to change the system.

Currently there is a month’s wait for a first UC payment, supposedly to reflect how people are paid at work.

Ian Duncan Smith has backed the waiting time cut

But there are also seven “waiting days” beforehand and another week’s delay afterwards, bringing the total wait to six weeks.

The initial “waiting days” were hiked from three to seven in 2015 - a move that was claimed to cut £150m a year.

IDS told Sky News: "One of the reasons I resigned from Government was I didn’t actually agree with the additional waiting days.

“This is something the government needs to look at in the budget.”

Mr Duncan Smith suggested waiting days could be “built in” as part of a total month’s wait.

The former Secretary of State for Work is the latest high profile Tory to speak out (
Image:
Getty)

His intervention follows suggestions by other high profile Tories that the system could be amended.

Asked if the six-week period should be cut, even if it costs money, First Secretary Damian Green told the Mirror last week: “I think payment system by which Universal Credit is paid is always up for improvement.”

Asked again, specifically, if he would cut it from six to four weeks, he replied: “It’s clearly a matter for the Secretary of State and the Cabinet more widely.

“As I’ve said, I think over time we’ve looked at ways of improving systems... so we could make sure we test the systems and as problems emerged, put them right. I’m sure David Gauke will continue to do that.”

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Last week Labour used an opposition day debate to force a vote on whether to "pause and fix" Universal Credit.

They won the vote by 299 to 0 after the government whipped Tory MPs to abstain on the motion and Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston voted with the opposition.

Other Tories who had raised concerns about Universal Credit, including Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Johnny Mercer voted with their party saying that they believed the Government was listening to their concerns.