• Full roll-out to Reigate & Banstead in October
  
• New research shows complex application process
• CARBS advisers training programme

Hardly a day goes by without a headline on the never-ending introduction of Universal Credit.

Until now the ‘new’ benefit has been available to a very small number of people in Reigate & Banstead.  From late October all new claims in 6 benefit areas* will be for Universal Credit.

The roll-out has not gone smoothly. 

New Citizens Advice research shows Universal Credit working for most people.  But “a significant minority” are struggling and there is real hardship.  It says:

In total there are 10 stages to making a Universal Credit claim, many of which are time sensitive. If a deadline is missed, a claim may have to be started again. Some people are finding the process so complex that 1 in 4 people who were helped by Citizens Advice spent more than a week completing their claim.

At CARBS we’re in full countdown mode. 

All our advisers take part in training throughout the year as a matter of course.  Right now the focus is Universal Credit to ensure we can provide the support our clients need and deserve.

Find out more about Universal Credit here.

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* Universal Credit replaces 6 ‘legacy’ benefits:  Housing Benefit; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA); Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA); Child Tax Credit; Working Tax Credit; Income Support.