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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Universal credit administration  →  Thread

Sharp increase in time people are waiting for calls to UC helpline to be answered

Daphne
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rightsnet writer / editor

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Probably not a shock as UC rollout accelerates but times to get through have gone up from 1 minute 41 seconds in May 2017 to 5 min 17 seconds in September (and I would guess likely to get a lot worse)

Also only 84% of calls answered at all in September down form 92% in May.

Interestingly they actually answered more calls in May- 638,011 out of 694,410 - where in September they only answered 624,980 (out of 743,435).

From a BBC FOI request

Benny Fitzpatrick
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Welfare Rights Officer, Southway Housing Trust, Manchester

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25 mins on hold. Friday 10th November 2017, 14:40 PM.

Nice earner for somebody at 55p per minute!

Still no word on a date for call charges to be abolished?

Jeremy Barker
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Citizens Advice North Lincolnshire

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Benny Fitzpatrick - 14 November 2017 03:05 PM

Nice earner for somebody at 55p per minute!

 

Vodafone must have been doing quite well out of this - it’s only Vodafone contract customers who’ve used all their contract minutes that are charged 55p a minute (for all calls).