Impact of Universal Credit in North East England: a qualitative study of claimants and support staff.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To understand the impact of the roll-out of Universal Credit (UC) from the perspectives of claimants and staff supporting them in North East England.

Design

Qualitative study comprising interviews and focus groups.

Setting

Gateshead and Newcastle, two localities in North East England characterised by high levels of socioeconomic deprivation, where the roll-out of UC started in 2017 as a new way to deliver welfare benefits for the UK working age population.

Participants

33 UC claimants with complex needs, disabilities and health conditions and 37 staff from local government, housing, voluntary and community sector organisations.

Results

Participants' accounts of the UC claims process and the consequences of managing on UC are reported; UC negat

SUBMITTER: Cheetham M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6615785 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature