Universal Credit

(asked on 8th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2019 to Question 214626 on universal credit, of the 18 per cent of claims for universal credit which were not completed due to non-compliance with the process, what support her Department offered to those applicants (a) during and (b) after the application process.


Answered by
Alok Sharma Portrait
Alok Sharma
COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 13th February 2019

Most people claiming Universal Credit will be able to access and navigate the internet, to make and maintain their Universal Credit account. Our published Universal Credit Claimant Survey found that 98 per cent of claimants did claim online, and the majority of those said they found the claim process overall to be straightforward.

Universal Credit has been designed with accessibility in mind and we are committed to providing personalised support for all claimants. Where a claimant requires assistance to complete the initial application process support is available via the Universal Credit helpline, face to face in the Jobcentre or in exceptional circumstances through a home visit.

If a claimant needs more intensive or specific support to make their claim, face-to-face and other help is available through our current Universal Support Assisted Digital Service offer, which provides bespoke help, support and skills for claimants to make and maintain their digital account online. Since 2017, Universal Support has been delivered by individual local authorities, funded by grants from DWP.

From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will deliver a new “Help to Claim” service to support vulnerable claimants through the process of making a claim to Universal Credit, and managing their money afterwards.

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