Social Security Benefits: Advisory Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reductions to the welfare budget on the number of people seeking welfare advice; and what steps she is taking to ensure advice services are adequately funded to meet demand.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
DWP is not responsible for funding the welfare advice sector which receives funding from a range of sources.
DWP does fund Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland to deliver Help to Claim which provides support to people to make a new claim to Universal Credit. DWP provides Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland. DWP constantly reviews the funding for Help to Claim and has increased Help to Claim funding to meet forecast additional demand from people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance who are being invited to move to Universal Credit. The funding includes money to train staff to deliver Help to Claim.
DWP publishes benefit guidance in the House of Commons library so that it is available to individuals and organisations, and it can be used to develop appropriate training.
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