Universal Credit: Coronavirus

(asked on 18th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of universal credit applicants who (a) do not have access to a computer and (b) are self-isolating due to the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 15th June 2020

Our Universal Credit Claimant Survey from June 2018 found that 96 per cent of claimants have regular access to the internet. Of these, 9 in 10 claimants have access at home via a computer or through a mobile phone. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-full-service-claimant-survey

For those claimants who are unable to access or use our digital services, there is assistance available to make and maintain their claim using the Freephone Universal Credit helpline.

Running alongside the national Jobcentre offer from 1 April 2019 is the Citizens Advice Help to Claim which support claimants in making a Universal Credit claim. Help to Claim offers tailored, practical support to help people make their claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. It is widely available online, through a freephone number and face to face through local Citizens Advice services.

Information on the number of Universal Credit applicants who are self-isolating due to Covid-19 is not available.

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