The prime minister stressed ministers are “learning through this process” but insisted Universal Credit would be implemented in full by December 2023 as planned.

It comes after new Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd steered away from seeking MPs’ consent to move the total three million existing welfare claimants to Universal Credit.

Her department will instead pursue approval for plans for a pilot scheme to move an initial 10,000 people onto the all-encompassing benefit in July.

Ms Rudd will no longer seek the House of Commons’ approval, in a vote due soon, to move all welfare claimants to Universal Credit until the pilot scheme is deemed a success.

Universal Credit rolls six working-age benefits into one monthly payment, but its implementation has prompted concerns from charities and MPs of all parties about causing hardship for claimants.

Mrs May defended the system on Sunday as one that “encourages people into work”.

“Throughout the introduction of Universal Credit, we’ve been clear that we would roll it out as a steady process, learn as we were going along. We’ve done that, we’ve made changes to Universal Credit as we’ve been going along,” she told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.

“We’ll be saying more about the future in the coming weeks. But it will be fully rolled out by 2023 as was originally intended.

“The reason why it’s important to get this right, why we’ve been taking our time, why we’ve been ensuring that we’ve made changes as we’ve been learning through this process is because this is a much better system than the system it replaced.

“This is a system that encourages people into work, makes sure that when they’re in work it pays.”

Ms Rudd said she was looking to roll-out the “vital reform” to the benefits system “carefully”.

“I’m glad charities and colleagues are backing my plans to move and monitor 10,000 people from the old system,” she tweeted.

“It means #UC can proceed on time and be fit for purpose: helping people work and getting support to people quickly.”

Ms Rudd was praised by fellow Tory MP Heidi Allen, a member of the Commons’ work and pension committee.

“This is the right thing to do and will take away so much fear for vulnerable legacy benefit claimants,” she said.

Charities the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Shelter and Mind all welcomed the move by Ms Rudd.

But Labour described Universal Credit as “deeply flawed” and called for a halt to its roll-out.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Margaret Greenwood said: “Hopefully the government is waking up to the devastating implications of its so-called ‘managed migration’ to Universal Credit.

“However, Universal Credit is deeply flawed and many people are due to move onto it outside of managed migration.

“The policy is simply not working: it is pushing many families into poverty, rent arrears and to food banks.

“The government needs to stop the roll-out of Universal Credit as a matter of urgency and deliver a social security system that supports people rather than one that pushes many into poverty.”

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