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I work for the DWP ... and what I’ve seen is shocking
Blimey ... there’s a lot in here ... from a UC case manager -
- the problem is compounded by [DWP staff] lack of knowledge about the universal credit regulations
- it is not uncommon for charities and support workers to inform case managers ... of the law, rather than the other way round.
- in reality, claimants are putting important journal messages about jobs and interviews online all the time, and the case managers and work coaches can’t reply.
-many of my colleagues feel out of their depth ... resulting in a vast amount of crucial work never being completed until claimants contact us when their payments are inevitably paid incorrectly or not at all.
- if the person who’s looking after your universal credit payment takes some annual leave, you could be left penniless by accident.
- one of the principles we’re told is central to case management is that claimants are entirely responsible for their own claim. The system alerts us when deadlines have been missed, allowing us to cruelly close claims.
- claimants who state that they are facing eviction are a penny a dozen. We are told that legal proceedings can take months so a claimant is “never really facing eviction”.
- many claimants react in anger; others break down in tears. It’s only minutes until we’re dealing with the next caller – and the last caller is quickly forgotten.
DWP Director General of UC, Neil Couling, has responded on Twitter -
... I have always argued in favour of research and evidence rather than anecdote & opinion in making policy and delivery decisions
https://twitter.com/NeilCouling/status/919142640196685824
Reported in the Independent: Universal credit director dismisses whistleblower’s harrowing account of system as ‘anecdote and opinion’
well he would wouldn’t he…
As six types of benefit are now combined into one universal credit payment, any deductions for take-home pay will have an effect on the entire sum, when at other times they might have retained their housing benefit, for instance, but lost their jobseeker’s allowance.
One of the biggest flaws of UC, yet no-one seems to comment on the effects of this “simplification”.
Mr C relies on research and evidence.
As long as it suits him.
But that’s just my opinion.
Thank You!
There’s a template to these bland government replies when any social issue (housing, rough sleeping, mental health etc) is raised. It starts off by the assertion that this is a difficult problem which they take extremely seriously.
Then follow a few “This is why….. we have invested in training….. “
“This is why we have put a further ........... into the service” .
The key point about their “this is why…” statements is that they don’t address any of the shortcomings at all, just inform you that they have done something else which is either inadequate or irrelevant.
Then a bit at the end about the vast majority of people being happy.