What is it like to live on Universal Credit? Lords Economic Affairs Committee to ask witnesses

Why and when did you start claiming Universal Credit? How does it compare with the previous system? Is there anything you are doing differently now since being on Universal Credit?

These are among the questions the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will be asking a panel of witnesses on Tuesday 26 May 2020.

This public evidence session will have remote participation by witnesses and Committee members. The session will be streamed on Parliament TV.

At 3pm the Committee will hear from:

• Kirsty Harkins, Volunteer at Sale Moor Community Partnership and Universal Credit claimant
• Angela Charlton, Universal Credit claimant
• Sarah Holloway, Universal Credit claimant
• Nick Philips, Project Coordinator of London Unemployed Strategies and Chair of the Commission on Social Security
• Mike Tighe, Member of Southwark’s ‘Know Your Rights’ benefits support group and Universal Credit claimant.

Other questions the Committee is likely to ask include:

• How easy or difficult was the application process?
• Was help available with applying for and managing Universal Credit (UC)?
• Are the work coaches helpful?
• How easy, or difficult, do you now find it to manage your money on UC?
• How much of a difference to your life has the recent increase in UC made?
• Are there any aspects of UC that you like and that have been helpful to you?

Notes to Editors

This inquiry, The economics of Universal Credit, has its own web page.
The Economic Affairs Committee is one of the five permanent investigative committees in the House of Lords and is charged with considering economic affairs.