MSE News: Universal credit helpline charges to be scrapped 18 October 2017 at 10:18AM edited 18 October 2017 at 3:40PM in Benefits & tax credits 60 replies 8.1K views

Former_MSE_Callum

Controversial charges of up to 55p a minute for calls to the universal credit helpline are to be abolished, the Government has announced...

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'Universal credit helpline charges to be scrapped'

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kpwll

That's welcome news for anyone who has to call them, it was daft to have them in the 1st place.

TELLIT01

Charging at that level is totally unacceptable. Even being charged at standard call rates would eat up a large proportion of the benefit being queried. It used to be possible to use the phones in JC's to make this sort of call but I think that was stopped.

maxmycardagain

UC has no redeeming features that I can see, the errors, sanctions, lost benefits and attitude of many staff are causing undue hardship to many

annandale

In some cases the charges would be scrapped was what I read. That's not the same thing as scrapping the charges altogether

pmduk

The press release seems pretty clear that all the lines will become freephones. However, don't hold your breath til it happens. It pays to be cynical with politicians of all ilks.

One good thing is that the cost of paying for a free call may concentrate the DWP's mind to reduce the wait to get a call answered, I know of people that have waited up to an hour to get a reply.

Former_MSE_Andrea

What's the longest anyone's had to wait on the line? Has anyone had to wait more than an hour?

Ames

annandale wrote: »

In some cases the charges would be scrapped was what I read. That's not the same thing as scrapping the charges altogether

David Gauke said in his session at the Commons Select Committee that it's changing to a freephone number.

JezR

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Charging at that level is totally unacceptable. Even being charged at standard call rates ...

It is presently at standard call rates as it is an 03 number.

IAmWales

JezR wrote: »

It is presently at standard call rates as it is an 03 number.

Which for someone that cannot afford a call package is very expensive.

footyguy

MSE_Callum wrote: »

Controversial charges of up to 55p a minute for calls to the universal credit helpline are to be abolished, ...

Up to 55p a minute? :huh:
I understood it's currently a 0345 number.

You can make a 30 min call for just 60p from a BT payphone to such a number, and if you need even longer, it will cost an extra 10p for each additional 15 mins or part thereof.

Or are people using their iPhone to call the benefit helpline? :cool: