Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to make reasonable adjustments for people with complex learning difficulties to complete Universal Credit applications.

The Department is committed to ensuring that Universal Credit is accessible to all, including individuals with complex learning difficulties. We recognise that some claimants may require additional support to make and maintain their claim. A range of reasonable adjustments and tailored support is available, including:

• Help to Claim: Delivered by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, this service provides practical, tailored support to help individuals make a new claim to Universal Credit or move from legacy benefits. Support is available via telephone, webchat, and face-to-face appointments.
• Jobcentre Support: Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers are trained to identify and support individuals with complex needs. They can offer face-to-face assistance and refer claimants to additional services where appropriate.
• Alternative Channels: For those unable to use the online service, claims can be made by telephone. The Department also offers Video Relay Services for British Sign Language users.
• Tailored Adjustments: DWP identifies individuals with complex user needs and ensures appropriate support is made available throughout their UC journey. This includes adapting communication methods and providing additional time or assistance where needed.
• Continuous Improvement: The Department regularly reviews and improves the UC service based on user feedback to ensure it remains accessible and responsive to all claimants’ needs.
• Third party Support: The claimant can give explicit consent for Universal Credit to speak with a third party to help with the management of a claim. Where a person is unable to manage their own claim, the Department can arrange for a third party to be set up as an appointee to formally manage making and managing the benefit claim.

These measures are part of our broader commitment to equality and inclusion, ensuring that no one is disadvantaged in accessing the support they are entitled to. Where individuals cannot manage their own affairs sufficiently, DWP allows an appointee to undertake actions on the claimant’s behalf.

A range of reasonable adjustments are embedded across the UC service, supported by recent enhancements to improve visibility, responsiveness, and operational delivery.

• Accessibility Needs Tab: Claimants can record their accessibility needs directly in their UC account. These are surfaced to agents via a blue banner and are visible during appointment booking, calls, and correspondence
• Support Needs Tab: Agents can record broader support needs (e.g. cognitive impairments, homelessness, safeguarding). These are visible to Work Coaches, Case Managers, Complex Case Coaches (CCCs), and Visiting Officers