Welfare 'revolution' begins -- at one jobcentre The reform has been driven by Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who has staked his career on successful implementation. "Universal Credit is nothing less than the start of a fundamental cultural shift of the welfare system," Mr Duncan Smith said of today's move. Universal credit is being implemented in stages, with the full scheme not due to "go live" until 2017. "This is the first step on a long journey, and the pathfinder is our opportunity to get Universal Credit right," Mr Duncan Smith said. We will bring in this radical and vital reform in a careful and controlled way. Liam Byrne MP, Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, mocked Mr Duncan Smith over today's small-scale launch. He said: "Today's pathfinder is a pathetic joke, limited to a tiny number of people the scheme can handle. The truth is the scheme is late, over budget, the IT system appears to be falling apart and even ministers admit they haven't got a clue what is going on. The warning lights are on, now we need a rescue plan - fast.