Universal credit claimants create guide to benefit

Researchers and a group of universal credit claimants in Northern Ireland have teamed up to create a guide to the benefit.

Ulster University, which worked with the University of York, said it was the UK's first claimant-led guide to universal credit.

The experiences of the claimants are detailed in the online document.

One of the claimants said she hoped the "go-to" would stop people getting as stressed as she did.

The guide has been officially launched just as furlough - which protected millions of jobs during the pandemic - and a £20 boost to universal credit are about to end.

It also comes amid a backdrop of rising energy and food prices.

• Universal credit: When will the £20 increase stop?

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Universal credit is a benefit for working-age people, which was introduced to replace six benefits and merge them into one payment.

The idea for the guide came from a research project looking at the experiences of universal credit in Northern Ireland, led by Ruth Patrick from the University of York and Mark Simpson from Ulster University.

Through this project, UC:Us was born - a group of universal credit claimants living in Northern Ireland, who met up in a series of workshops to share their experiences.

One of the main findings from the research project was that participants found the benefit confusing and did not know where they could find accessible information.

'Basically the bible'

Group member Deirdre, from Belfast, was part of the first cohort to try universal credit in 2018.

A former teacher, Deirdre found herself unemployed and a single parent to two children due to personal circumstances.

"Being involved in the UC:Us project helped me realise that there are other people out there in the same situation and that I am in a position to help," she said.

"If I had known what I know now about universal credit I doubt I would have the mental health issues and anxiety and stress that I have now.

"This guide is basically the bible for universal credit. It is the go-to, and I don't want anyone else to experience what I went through and instead have everything at the flip of a fingertip."

Mr Simpson, lecture in law at Ulster University, said the research had shown how people struggled to find basic information.

"The guide is UC:Us members' way of helping others avoid problems they have experienced," he added.

As well as the research team, the UC:Us members also worked with welfare rights specialists at Law Centre NI and Housing Rights.