Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent improvements her Department has made to the online system for universal credit applications.

We are building an agile, adaptable system, fit for the 21st century, to help people to transform their lives through work - while supporting those who cannot work and are most in need.

Using feedback from stakeholders and claimants we have had more than 100 releases to the system since it was introduced, all resulting in improvements to the claimant’s experience.

Most recently these include:

• adding a playback screen to the child details gather reducing error in moving on with incomplete child details;
• changing an appointment booking error message;
• improving password creation for new registrations;
• developing estimated award tool to assist claimants in understanding potential UC award and indicative New Claim Advance value;
• improving questions regarding other people who live with claimant, providing clarity about lodgers, family members, and anyone else living with the claimant.