Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the accessibility of the Universal Credit processes for applicants whose first language is not English or Welsh.

We have made no direct assessment of accessibility for applicants who do not have English or Welsh as their first language. However, when we need to communicate with a claimant whose first language is not English or Welsh English we use interpreters This can be a customer’s own interpreter, a local community based interpreting service, a telephone interpretation service or a contracted face to face interpretation service. In addition, where there is a need we are also able to translate correspondence into languages other than English or Welsh.

Our work coaches may also look at ways to support claimants through a range of local and national provision if a lack of language skills is likely to represent a barrier to work.