Roger has written to Welfare Reform Minister, Lord Feud, regarding the introduction of updated plans for the Local Support Services Framework in October. This framework will establish how how Universal Credit claimants are going to be supported.
He said: “Organizations such as Citizens Advice (CAB) are rightly concerned, as I am, that the new framework is set up in a way to ensure that local voluntary organisations are at the centre of delivering this support and are given the resources that they need.
In the last year CAB have helped people in Birmingham with over 11,000 problems related to benefits and tax credits and it will come as no surprise that they are predicting a significant increase in demand for help over the next few years as the reforms are rolled out.
I also know that the CAB has already suffered badly from funding cut backs and has had to release many knowledgeable advisors who will no longer be there to help claimants negotiate their way through the new complex maze of welfare changes. All this is happening at a time when the cuts in the legal aid budget are cutting out many of the advocacy services for people at benefits tribunals.”
Roger is also concerned that ‘benefits confusion’ over all the new legislation is leading to big delays in payment as claimants, through no fault of their own, make mistakes in filling out forms and have claims rejected.

This article appeared in the June edition of Roger's newsletter 'Postcard from Parliament'