Pressure Grows To Make Universal Credit Helpline Free Of Charge

Pressure is growing on ministers to make calls to the universal credit helpline free, after it was revealed that low-income claimants could be paying up to 55p a minute for calls to fix problems with their claim. Campaigners want charges dropped as more evidence emerged of claimants being forced to spend long periods waiting on the phone to resolve issues, and often having to make a number of calls. There are also concerns that poor training of call centre staff and underlying problems with the complex universal credit system are contributing to long waiting times. Read more on the Guardian website.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether telephones with a direct connection to the universal credit helpline are available to use free of charge in every jobcentre.

Priti Patel: We no longer have customer access phones in Jobcentres. However, should a claimant need to use a telephone in connection with their claim or job search, they will be given access to a phone by their work coach.