Welfare State

(asked on 17th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to tackle stigmatisation of welfare claimants.


Answered by
Mims Davies Portrait
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 30th November 2021

Universal Credit(UC) encompasses several legacy benefits in one and can be claimed in many different circumstances by those who are entitled. UC is not only for those unemployed and can be claimed by people in various circumstances – such as those with a health condition or terminal illness, balancing parenthood or caring. It can also help to support low income or self-employed earnings.

The Department works hard to dispel any stigmatisation by regularly communicating with the public about benefits through paid advertising, stakeholder and employer engagement and no cost campaigns to help people understand their entitlement and the support we can provide as a safety net and in times of need. During the pandemic this has been particularly important as many people needed to claim benefits for the first time. Meanwhile, we always keenly help people to progress, train and move forward where possible and help the most vulnerable in society to have all the support they are rightly entitled too even in later life right through to pension age and beyond.

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