Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provides to call-handlers on the universal credit helpline (a) when they start and (b) throughout their working time.

For new entrants, the learning journey for Universal Credit Helpline call handlers is broadly made up of ‘soft skills’ customer service learning, which covers how to gather information through active listening, equality and diversity training and bespoke IT system-based technical learning, all of which is supported by consolidation activity. Colleagues, alongside experienced case managers receive on-going learning in their roles and have access to Universal Credit guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals. The majority of the low level business processes for learning are embedded into the service and do not stand alone as separate guidance or instructions to staff. However, call handlers have access to comprehensive Universal Credit guidance, which is published in the House of Commons Library and which the Department is committed to refreshing at regular intervals.