50 signatures reached
To: Iain Duncan-Smith
Make The Univeral Credit Claimline Freephone
The DWP has set-up 0345 for the claim-line for all new Universal Credit Applicant, these numbers are charged at 45p a minute from mobile or 12p a minute from landline.
The DWP needs to ensure, as per their promise in 2013 (http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jul/18/callers-spend-56m-government-helplines) that all claim-lines are free to call for everybody.
The DWP needs to ensure, as per their promise in 2013 (http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jul/18/callers-spend-56m-government-helplines) that all claim-lines are free to call for everybody.
Why is this important?
In a written parliamentary answer earlier this month, Duncan Smith’s junior welfare minister, Justin Tomlinson, said they expect claims to be made online. The government’s universal credit website, however, advertised the phone number. An increasing majority of people do not use a landline phone, especially those on low incomes due to the higher fixed costs than owning a mobile phone. This new number is directly prohibitive to some of the most vulnerable claimants in the country and is a new cost hurdle for people in dire need.
Along with this almost 6 million British adults have never been on line, with many more with no or limited access to the internet, again from the most vulnerable sections of society.
Once again, Iain Duncan-Smith is playing with the lives of Britain's downtrodden, putting Universal Credit out of reach for those that need it most.
Credit it the Guardian for the article that forms the basis of this petition (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/17/iain-duncan-smith-refuses-to-set-up-freephone-for-families-claiming-benefits)
Along with this almost 6 million British adults have never been on line, with many more with no or limited access to the internet, again from the most vulnerable sections of society.
Once again, Iain Duncan-Smith is playing with the lives of Britain's downtrodden, putting Universal Credit out of reach for those that need it most.
Credit it the Guardian for the article that forms the basis of this petition (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/17/iain-duncan-smith-refuses-to-set-up-freephone-for-families-claiming-benefits)
