Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 11 of the DWP claimant service and experience survey 2015 to 2016, published on 17 January 2017, what steps her Department has taken in response to the findings that as universal credit continues to expand, a smaller proportion of customers reported that it was easy to get in touch with her Department.

Universal Credit Full Service is now being rolled out across the nation, where the main route to access Universal Credit is instead through digital channels. The digital solution enables the Department to provide full personalised support for every household.

Over 99% of claims are made online and claimants can contact their work coach at any point during their claim via email and their online journal. The Universal Credit telephone helpline has now been made free and face to face support is also available for claimants to make and manage a Universal Credit claim.

The survey only covered Universal Credit Live Service claimants who did not have access to this digital service.