 |
answer text |
<p>The latest claimant count data is for January 2017.</p><p> </p><p>The cumulative
claimant count figure for the offices operating Full Service increased by 25.5% in
the 12 months to January 2017. The remaining offices operating Live Service saw an
overall fall of 1.5% in the count over the same period.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit
will tend to increase the claimant count because it extends our support to find work
to claimants who have never received this support before. For example, people who,
in the past, only claimed Child Tax Credit or Housing Benefit (and not Jobseekers
Allowance) and now will claim Universal Credit, will be helped to prepare for and
look for work. So will partners of Universal Credit claimants.</p><p> </p><p>The roll
out of this support is more advanced in Full Service areas, and as we bring these
people onto Universal Credit, it is to be expected that the claimant count will be
higher than it would otherwise have been.</p>
|
 |
