Today I visited the Job Centre Plus at Helena House at the north end of Sutton High Street.
Sutton is a ‘test and learn’ centre and was therefore chosen to be the first to trial the roll out of Universal Credit in the UK.
Universal Credit is a new type of benefit designed to support people who are on a low income or out of work. It will replace six existing benefits and is currently being rolled out across the UK. The new system is based on a single monthly payment, transferred directly into a bank account.
Universal Credit will replace:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
I went along to see Universal Credit in action, to discuss what have been the benefits and challenges of moving to Universal Credit, and to learn more about what the Job Centre was doing in Sutton.
I was pleased to hear that the introduction of Universal Credit had overall gone well, and that claimants and staff were positive about the new system. In addition, the benefit of being a ‘test and learn’ centre is that they have the chance to feedback on what is going well or otherwise.
Universal Credit has also allowed the Job Centre to refocus its efforts on social justice, which it has already put at the heart of its operations. The flexibility of the benefit, which caters to each individual’s specific needs, has allowed them to better identify claimants with more intensive issues when it comes to finding work, and putting in place a support mechanism for them.
I want to thank Sutton Job Centre for having me and taking me through Universal Credit, and I’m glad to see such an efficient operation helping the people of Sutton who need them.
There is no mention at all about people who are long term sick and disabled and those with mental health problems. The staff who book the appointments are treating disabled callers as being fit and healthy and looking for work. Either this is deliberate or there has been no training whatsoever. Any mention of any mental illness and support is not only ignored but does not even exist in the system. Home visit requests are treated with contempt and applicants told that this will only delay the claim. If a claimant has no chance of ever working again and is already feeling worthless, why are they going to a job centre and not a medical centre unless this is just designed to degrade and humiliate. This seems to go against this Governments talk of helping the mentally ill and disabled but instead moving the goal posts to qualify for disability benefits and not only harassing them and worsening their conditions.
Am harassed by an officer called Peter and asking about my UniversalCredit account and password which l don’t know it Ana lady during my Stroke the doctors at st Georges asked me that they want some in London that they can reached because they can not call international calls and l called her and she agreed to used her name she followed me to the three that l went to she asked me give her £200.00 to do her passport ,and l gave her and she went into my account she had stolen all my money and she has my password for UniversalCredit account now peter and Ana gang against me that Peter harassing me over the password that my UniversalCredit is going be stopped l want to bring it to your attention l called Wednesday, a lady said he in the meeting and he will call me back but he did not l think l have informed my medical team about this intermediates peter is giving me Stressing me thanks God bless