Iain Duncan Smith's universal credit faces delay as government IT suppliers struggle with complexity of computer system, reveals leaked report

The ministers have been warned in a confidential report that social reforms designed to encourage people to be delayed again, because they depend on the successful introduction of a complex government IT system to work risk.

Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, is planning to introduce the much-vaunted universal credit - designed to work for are currently on payment of benefits - until 2013. But the success of reform depends entirely on building a computer program to determine how much is any universal credit claimants into work and earn as much they are paid by the state.

A report by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) commissioned the details have been leaked to the Observer , Disclosed serious concerns among government IT provider about whether the deadlines can be met for the new system. He also said that Duncan Smith 's assertion that no one will be worse off work can be under the new system' plans for moving tens of millions of accounts in a four-year window challenge. It can store thousands of exceptional cases, to inhibit ... the deadline 2017th "

The government has still not know the identity of its IT supplier to the worldwide credit project that has a tie-up will have to announce run with the PAYE system by Her Majesty 's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). But in May, during a conference call organized by his company 's quarterly results, CEO of Informatica, enter a California IT company was known, it should be included.

Consultants on intelligence, the WTO has been for the IT industry, commissioned by the government late last year to ask IT provider to see if the DWP 's time frame for universal credit were realistic. In its report to Iain Duncan Smith, she wrote: "While many feel that seemed attainable from a technological perspective, the deadlines, this one came with severe limitations, some thought the timelines were aggressive and cause for concern, especially since the exact requirements are unlikely . confirmed before the final bill is approved by parliament.

"Some providers felt the timescales unrealistic, cited the following reasons: There are no alternatives, the prototype, eight months for the core of development is possible if done correctly, but unrealistic given the number of additional traditional interfaces, particularly from the HMRC. "

If Joe Harley, chief information officer at the DWP was asked last month by the Commons Public Accounts Committee, whether the new system are the most complex ever undertaken, he would not deny it.

Last night Labour MP Stephen Timms, the Shadow Minister for Employment, said: "The minister 'promises, all new applicants will benefit from the new Universal credit IT system provided by October 2013 looks unrealistic, the new IT system, every employer is the country require. PAYE to send electronic data to HMRC each month, "said Timms. "This is a massive undertaking on its own and important elements of universal service credit policies are not yet decided -.. For example, such as self-employed persons are treated and how the support will be evaluated for child care are from my experience of the previous government IT projects, it isn only 't now is to sort out everything before the deadline. "

Last night, intelligence, refused to comment on its report, cited confidentiality. A DWP spokesman said: ". Universal credit is on the right way and time to a welfare state fit to secure for the 21st Century"