Thursday, 14 March 2013

Universal Credit Pilots Issue Digital Access Warning

Three projects testing aspects of the government’s universal credit welfare reform have warned there are serious flaws in the way people access the scheme.  At the CIH Scotland’s annual conference councillors from the three local authority pilot schemes in the country warned online applications must not become the preferred method for accessing the benefits system, and alternative methods must not be made more difficult to force people to go digital.  The government wants the system to be ‘digital by default’, with claimants managing their payments online. ‘It takes around ninety minutes to complete an online JSA application form,’ said Julie Hunter of North Lanarkshire Council. ‘People can’t fill out a thirty six page form on a mobile phone.’   Read more on Inside Housing.

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