Social Security Benefits

(asked on 23rd January 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the accessibility of information on benefits available to those without internet access.


Answered by
Guy Opperman Portrait
Guy Opperman
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This question was answered on 26th January 2023

DWP seeks to identify individuals who have complex user needs and/or require additional support to enable them to access our benefits and services; this includes those who are claiming (or need to claim) Universal Credit, who do not have internet access.

We are continuously reviewing and improving the service for people who claim UC to ensure that it is accessible and responsive to their needs. Currently, 98% of claimants manage their UC account online.

Jobcentres remain open to provide access to services for claimants who need face-to-face support. There is also a telephone number displayed outside each Jobcentre with details of how to contact DWP. Jobcentre colleagues remain available to those claimants who need us most.

Help to Claim support is being delivered independently by Citizens Advice, in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland, with support provided through telephony and digital channels. Those individuals who are unable to access support via these channels can go to their local jobcentre, local libraries and local advice centres where they can use computers with internet access free of charge.

It should be noted that The Office for National Statistics statistical bulletin ‘Internet access – households and individuals, Great Britain: 2020’ reported that in January to February 2020, 96% of households in Great Britain had internet access. This can be accessed at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/homeinternetandsocialmediausage/bulletins/internetaccesshouseholdsandindividuals/2020

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