Page 13 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making -(updated - August 2021)

Claimant Support

The information, support and advice provided to claimants about making and
challenging benefits decisions is fragmented, can be inaccessible and is often
insufficient.

Many claimants have additional needs and vulnerabilities that further exacerbate
these issues. Claimants with health conditions, including mental health or
neurodivergent conditions and/or who do not have English as a first language or are
illiterate face additional challenges engaging with a system that often does not meet
their needs. In particular, claimants who are digitally excluded face difficulties
making and managing their Universal Credit claims due to its ‘digital by default’
nature.

We recommend that a claimant-centred system is developed, through clearer and
more accessible communications and provision of information about the process at
each stage, so that claimants understand what is expected of them and how the
process is working. This would include using videos to explain processes and
ensuring that key information is available in a range of clearly and simply expressed
formats.

There should be a “no wrong door” approach to applying for and engaging with
Universal Credit, including by having meaningful, non-digital channels.

Early advice and support is vital. We recommend reinstating legal aid for early
benefits advice, expanding Help to Claim to provide support to people beyond the
application process and through a greater range of providers, the co-location of
advice providers covering related areas of social-welfare problems as well as non-
legal services, and a single access “portal” directing to welfare benefits advice
organisations, signposted to from all DWP webpages. We also adopt the
recommendations of the JUSTICE working party report Understanding Courts for a
single website point of entry that provides comprehensive, simple, accessible and
jurisdiction specific information on the process of going to the Social Security

4