Recommendation 13

There are known barriers to applying to Universal Credit. These have been thrown into sharp focus by the pandemic. Given that the country has now exited two national lockdowns and continues to be subject to covid-19 restrictions, it is critical that the Government ensures that those who need Universal Credit can access it. The Government should immediately address issues with digital connectivity particularly given the continuing uncertainty over the level of covid-19 restrictions, which means a significant minority could become further isolated from vital support. The Government should develop a Universal Credit mobile application so that people can access the service on their phones.