[Withdrawn] Universal Support 2018/19 Guidance
Updated 7 March 2019
© Crown copyright 2019
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-universal-support-201819-guidance/universal-support-201819-guidance
1. Background
Universal Credit brings a cultural change and behavioural shift for claimants. The transition to monthly payments and housing costs paid directly to claimants requires them to be responsible for managing their monthly payment and paying their bills.
Universal Credit full service is also delivered via online self-service and some people will need help with this.
Universal Support (US) is advice, assistance and support provided by agreed US partners such as:
- Local Authorities
- Citizens Advice
- credit unions
- registered social landlords
- relevant registered charities
These partners assist Universal Credit claimants with:
- managing their claim or award of Universal Credit including accessing and using online services
- managing their financial affairs
The expansion of Universal Credit full service to a broader range of claimants started in May 2016, and will be completed in 2018. After the expansion process is complete, we will begin migrating claimants on legacy benefits, like Jobseeker’s Allowance and Tax Credits, to the full service from July 2019.
By 2022, all existing legacy claimants will have moved to Universal Credit. Our rollout schedule for all jobcentres to receive Universal Credit full service can be found here.
2. Working in partnership
DWP has made funding available to LAs to help deliver US. US consists of Assisted Digital support (AD) and Personal Budgeting Support (PBS).
Local partners are best placed to understand local demographics and the likely needs of UC claimants with complex needs and ensure the right support services are in place so that claimants get joined up holistic support.
Most District Partnership Managers (DPM) will already be working in partnership with their LAs and have US in place.
LAs may choose to deliver US themselves, or they may commission agreed partners to provide the services.
3. Universal Support – AD and PBS provision
Before the start of an operational year, DWP, usually DPMs, and LAs will discuss what support is required for their area. The minimum support that LAs/partners should offer is in Annex A; the lists are not exhaustive.
Once the detail of the local US provision has been agreed, LAs are responsible for communicating details of the support to DPMs and other stakeholders/interested parties.
DPMs should also be notified of the referral process, i.e. written notification that’s emailed via the secure network (from gcsx to gsi.gov.uk) or by telephone, and will update IT systems so staff are aware of the provision.
Support should be delivered face-to-face; however, it is possible to provide PBS support by telephone by exception, for example, in rural locations where public transport is not readily available or infrequent.
Operational evidence shows that in addition to DWP, Universal Credit claimants’ US needs are often identified by partners and third parties.
Since April 2017, LAs have been able to accept referrals directly through US providers; this will help identify the claimants who need support, deliver the right help at the right time and reduce handoffs.
Funded AD support is not appropriate if the claimant:
-
can self-serve but does not have access to an electronic device and or internet access to make a Universal Credit claim – claimants should be given the information that they will need, e.g, to complete the ‘GOV.UK.Verify’ or the Universal Credit new claims process, to enable them to self–serve and oriented to the locally available public terminals. The Universal Credit Helpline will provide the appropriate support.
-
does not have the digital capability and cannot and may never be able to self-serve online even with US/ in-depth digital training – claimants should be directed to the Universal Credit helpline who will provide the appropriate support
If someone in the above circumstances contacts a US partner, they should assist them to telephone the Universal Credit helpline.
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
There are alternative arrangements for claimants who have an authorised formal representative, for example, an appointee or power of attorney.
4. Management information
The LA will be responsible for collating and retaining Management Information (MI) as detailed in the Grant Funding Agreement (GFA).
Quarterly MI returns should be emailed to DWP via the trusted network to universal.supportreturns@dwp.gsi.gov.uk and copied to their DPM by the 15th of the following month, e.g., Q1 returns are due by 15 July 2018.
4.1 These are the key MI metrics that are emailed to DWP
| MI metric | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Date each claimant is referred to support | Record all referrals to AD and PBS, irrespective of whether they actually take-up the support |
| Date claimant takes-up support | Take-up is the key metric. It is the date the claimant undertakes AD or PBS; split by AD or PBS |
| Source of referral | Who identified the claimant need and made the referral |
| Organisation providing support | Useful to understand what organisations are providing support if the LA is not providing it themselves |
4.2 These are the metrics that the LA retains but are not sent to DWP
| MI metric | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Eligibility for US confirmed by provider | They have seen evidence of a UC account, or have supported the claimant to make an online UC claim |
| Caimant’s name, Address, Post code, National Insurance number or date of birth | Sufficient to match the DWP, LA and provider records |
For non-DWP referrals, the US provider is responsible for confirming eligibility before any support is delivered. It is likely that a claimant will need more than one US session but LAs should ensure that irrespective of the number of delivered sessions, a claimant is recorded only once on the MI template.
However, if they received AD and PBS support, they would be captured once for AD and once for PBS.
The claimant-specific MI will be used to inform regular local partnership performance improvement discussions and made available as and when required by DWP or other authorised persons as detailed in the GFA.
Partners will receive an MI template from their LA.
5. Sharing information and Data Protection
Claimants must give consent for appropriate personal data to be shared between DWP and LAs for US purposes.
As explained in section 3, LAs will decide their process for receiving referrals. If email is the preferred option, LAs should share their trusted email address (xxxx@gcsx.gov.uk) with DWP. If DWP staff refer a claimant by email, they must only use this address.
Where the LA has commissioned partners to provide US and DWP staff identify a claimant with US requirements, they must only send the notification via the LA and if by email, via the trusted network address.
DWP staff are not authorised to send US referrals directly to US delivery partners.
Where an agreed US delivery partner receives a notification/referral from a source other than DWP, they are responsible for:
- providing the LA with assurance that they supported the claimant with the online claim for UC or have observed that the claimant has a Universal Credit account (eligibility check for Universal Credit funding)
- ensuring data sharing consent is captured and retained
- ensuring MI is captured
- only claiming AD or PBS funding once per claimant
If the partnership develops processes that need data to be shared differently, a local Privacy Impact agreement will be needed before implementation. DPMs will have access to more detailed guidance.
6. Local Governance and reviews
LAs and DPMs should have monthly meetings to review performance and discuss any US strategic/operational issues that have arisen and to identify good practice/areas for improvement.
The resolution process for national issues is set out in the GFA.
7. Assisted Digital and Public Terminals
To ensure claimants receive the best possible service, it is essential that US partners identify all existing PC/public terminals in their area and check their availability for the public to use them to make/maintain their Universal Credit claim.
US partners should share this information with the DPM and all public service outlets, e.g. Citizens Advice, libraries, and also the information a claimant will need to make a claim should they not have access to the internet or a device.
Access to this information will enable the public outlet to offer the appropriate support to claimants.
8. Annex A: What outputs might US providers deliver to help claimants transition to UC?
8.1 Assisted Digital
Make a claim
- support the claimant to transact with Universal Credit using personal computer or their specific device
- security awareness: to ensure claimant keeps (log-in) credentials safe
- setting up a personal email address if claimant doesn’t already have one, on whatever device they have access to
- claimant able to access email account to retrieve the email code
- telephone number (if the claimant does not have a mobile phone, the standard entry on the application should be a series of 11 zeros and not a telephone number that the claimant does not control and the claimant should select email as their preferred method of contact)
- claimant is aware of the details they need to have to hand to safely complete their identity verification and claim Universal Credit
- support to complete online claim data gather
- understand how to access the ‘partner code’ and requirement for their partner to complete their online claim (using the partner code)
To maintain claim
- manage Universal Credit via the online Universal Credit account on whatever device they have access to
- manage own email account on whatever device they have access to
- navigate and clear ‘To Do’s’
- make journal entries (and actually raising an entry to confirm they have been helped by US and the name of the LA)
- upload documents including CV/Medical Certificate
- notify change of circumstances
- generate and make enquiries
- print documents
If the claimant has no or extremely low IT skills and requires more intensive digital support to carry out other online activities, e.g, produce/amend documents on a PC, use Universal Jobmatch. it may also be appropriate to signpost them to existing locally available opportunities (for example Adult Education) in addition to receiving US for their Universal Credit transactions.
Funded AD support may not be appropriate if:
- the claimant simply does not have access to an electronic device and or internet access to make a Universal Credit claim – these claimants should be provided with the information that they will need e.g. to complete the ‘GOV.UK.Verify’ or the Universal Credit new claims process to enable them to self-serve and oriented to the locally available public terminals.
The Universal Credit Service Centre should provide any support, should they require it. The telephone number is displayed at the bottom of each screen.
- the claimant does not have the digital capability and cannot and may never be able to self–serve on-line, claimants who cannot and may never be able to self-serve online even with US/ in-depth digital training, should be directed to the Universal Credit Service Centre who will provide/arrange the appropriate support for the person to make the Universal Credit claim and the on-going administration of their claim.
If someone in these circumstances contacts a US partner, they should assist them to phone the Universal Credit Service Centre.
There are alternative arrangements for claimants who have an authorised formal representative, for example, an appointee or power of attorney.
8.2 Personal Budgeting Support
PBS is offered to all Universal Credit full service claimants when they transition to Universal Credit. This is to support claimants to manage their monthly payments and prioritise essential bills such as rent/utilities.
LAs will provide support for claimants who require personal budgeting support to manage their Universal Credit payments. This will be achieved through:
- processing all personal budgeting support referrals from Jobcentre Plus including those claimants who have alternative payment arrangements
- identifying the appropriate channel and provider to deliver personal budgeting support (may not be the LA) and referring the claimant to the right place immediately
- providing (or arranging provision of) telephone or face to face personal budgeting support and follow up action as appropriate
- referring claimants to Jobcentre Plus who may need an alternative payment arrangement e.g. because of rent arrears or vulnerability
- referrals to external organisations for other support services such as debt advice or help with passported benefits
Resulting in claimants being able to:
- understand their Universal Credit award and what they can claim
- work out monthly income and outgoings
- recognise priority bills, such as rent
- identify and cut back on non-essentials
- complete and maintain a budgeting plan
- convert from a Post Office card account/Payment Exception Service to more appropriate banking products, including a transactional bank account
- set up or re-organise direct debits for prioritised payments