Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the universal support framework will be published; and whether face-to-face debt advice will be included in that framework.

We published the Local Support Services Framework on 11 February 2013. The evidence from the Universal Support trials around joint working to support the needs of our disadvantaged customers informed the DWP Improving Lives policy paper (April 2017).

Funding has been made available to Local Authorities to put in place Universal Support delivered locally to help claimants who struggle with the transition to Universal Credit-in particular using online self-service and managing their UC award/managing their money. Universal Support does not cover debt advice however we expect DWP and our partners to identify claimant need and signpost them to available support.

We are clear that partnership working is fundamental to the successful implementation of Universal Credit. That is why we have announced that we are exploring with Citizen’s Advice and Citizen’s Advice Scotland the scope for greater collaborative working to help claimants locally as they move to Universal Credit, within the Universal Support framework.