Universal Credit: Hearing Impairment
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to deaf people who cannot read or write English and only use British Sign Language when moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to ensuring that all customers are able to access the support they need. It is DWP policy to provide interpretation services when required. This includes the provision of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Support is available at every stage of the Universal Credit journey. This includes assistance prior to making a claim, to help customers understand the requirement to move to Universal Credit, as well as throughout the claim process itself. Where appropriate, this support can include home visits, with a BSL interpreter present if required, to ensure that no customer is disadvantaged in accessing the benefits to which they are entitled.
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