Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 62
62
We heard how these agencies adapted during covid-19 lockdowns; Glasgow Life, an arm’s length organisation...
Conclusion
We heard how these agencies adapted during covid-19 lockdowns; Glasgow Life, an arm’s length organisation who deliver Universal Credit support on behalf of Glasgow City Council, ‘set up a universal support service freephone helpline number’140 and Health and Social Care Partnership Welfare Rights Officers provided financial and benefits advice to people who were shielding. Suzanne Lavelle of Southside Housing Association in Glasgow told us about the demands on Registered Social Landlords or Housing Associations to benefits advice and support for applications: we had a lot of people who came to us looking for assistance to claim universal credit and also for general advice about what other help was available. Our advisers spent a lot of time assisting people to make their claims online, and they gave advice on how to maintain those claims.141
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
DWP and the Social Security Scotland have recently established a regular Operational Reference Group to look at ways of continuously improving the benefits experience of DWP and Social Security Scotland’s shared customers. The Group will review service delivery issues arising from people looking to access DWP/ Social Security Scotland benefits and consider any improvements for future benefit delivery.