Help to Claim

Guy Opperman Excerpts

Monday 20th March 2023 Written Statements

[The Minister for Employment (Guy Opperman)]

I am today announcing that the current Help to Claim support arrangements have been extended to 31 March 2024. Help to Claim provides tailored practical support to individuals to make their universal credit claim online.

Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland will continue to deliver independent support following a further £22.2 million investment. The provision will continue to cover England, Scotland and Wales for 12 months, and ensures that free confidential and impartial support is available to help people make a new universal credit claim and manage their claim, up to receiving their first correct payment.

Since April 2019, Help to Claim has supported over 800,000 people, with nine in 10 people rating their overall experience as good or very good and saying they would recommend it to friends and family.

From April 2023, the support will continue to be provided through telephony and digital channels. For those individuals who are unable to access support via these channels, they will continue to be able to go to their local jobcentre, where staff will identify the right support to meet their needs. This is already available to those individuals who choose to seek support from the Department directly in making a claim to universal credit.

The Department is committed to providing the best possible support for all our claimants, including the most vulnerable in society, in both making and maintaining their claim.

The Department is currently considering the support required from April 2024.

[HCWS648]