WITH St Helens set to see more claimants move on to Universal Credit, the DPW is moving to reassure residents who may be unsure as to the changes. 

From today (Wednesday), more people across St Helens will move on to UC.

The DWP says UC is simplifying the system and revolutionising welfare by making work pay. It also helps those who are in work to increase their hours and earnings. 

UC replaces six benefits with one monthly payment and is already being claimed by single jobseekers.

And from today, anyone in St Helens who would previously have made a claim to Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Income support, Working and Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit will instead claim Universal Credit.

The move has been criticised, with worries over how less digital-savvy residents will cope with the move. 

Clive Morris, local Jobcentre Plus Business Support Manager, said to the Star: "There will be some people unsure what they need to do and I appreciate for some it might not be something they are comfortable with.

“Universal Credit offers tailored support, which includes more personalised help from a work coach. The new system is also more flexible, which means people can take on short-term work to develop their skills and build up their experience.

“Our staff are trained to support people throughout the claim process. We’d encourage anyone who needs extra help or information to come and talk to their work coach.”

Those on UC will have 24-hour access to an online account that they can use to manage their claim, including reporting changes of circumstances, checking the details of their claim and date of their next Universal Credit payment.

With the application process now completely online, the DWP says UC streamlines the system, making benefits simpler to navigate and easier to understand.