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<p>The Department is doing all we can to deal with exceptional levels of demand. Our
priority is ensuring people get their benefit payments and that we can continue to
support those who need them most. The Department has mobilised robust business continuity
plans to ensure we can do just that. We are already redeploying 10,000 staff from
other parts of DWP and are also recruiting additional staff to assist with the processing
of claims, including support from other government departments and the private sector.</p><p>
</p><p>We have also introduced new processes to ease pressure on waiting times for
identity verification over the phone and other processes. People making new claims
for Universal Credit no longer need to call the Department as part of the process.
Once they have completed their online application we will call them if we need to
check any of the information they have given us</p><p> </p><p>The Universal Credit
system is facing extraordinary pressures exerted by the unprecedented volume of new
claims, but it is standing up to this challenge. The agility of the system means that
capacity can be built rapidly and this has enabled it to cope in the face of demand
which would have overwhelmed the complex legacy benefit regime.</p>
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