Training People to Use Universal Credit 'Could Cost Hundreds of Millions'

Equipping benefit claimants with the digital and financial skills to use the universal credit system is likely to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, unpublished research commissioned by the DWP has found.  The study, carried out by three London councils using DWP data and a methodology agreed with Whitehall officials, found they would each need to spend about £6m over a two-year period to support vulnerable claimants to get online, help them open bank accounts and manage monthly budgets. The research reveals the extent to which socially excluded claimants will struggle with the huge cultural and behavioural changes demanded by universal credit, and warns that without help, those who fail to get to grips with the new welfare system will face debts, arrears and eviction, leading to a rise in homelessness. Around one in 10 users of the system are likely to need intensive or ongoing support, it finds. Read more on the Guardian website.