Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the need for reasonable adjustments for vulnerable universal credit claimants, who cannot read or write, to have access to alternative means of communication with their work coach other than through the online journal.

The Department is committed to providing personalised support for all claimants, including those who cannot read or write. Each individual’s circumstances are different and therefore the support that we provide must be tailored to these individual needs.

Claimants who cannot communicate through their online journal can access face-to-face assistance via their Jobcentre. Further support is also available via our free phone Universal Credit helpline to help them maintain their claim.

In certain circumstances, where a claimant is unable to manage their own affairs, an appointee can act on their behalf, taking responsibility for making and maintaining any benefit claim. An appointee can be an individual, e.g. a friend or relative, an organisation or representative of an organisation, e.g. a solicitor or local council. The process for enlisting a DWP appointee includes a visit to the claimant and an interview with the potential appointee.