The shocking abuse faced by Universal Credit staff
One man sent Plymouth Live his journal to complain about staff
Katie TimmsReporter
Universal Credit affects people in many ways - but we never really hear how it affects the people who have to enforce the rules.
It's been widely reported that some people struggle to live on the benefit system, from late payments to not having enough money to buy food. Some of their personal situations are unthinkably tough.
But the introduction of Universal Credit has also affected Jobcentre workers.
Since the change was rolled out 18 months ago, staff at Plymouth's Exeter Street Jobcentre have dealt with thousands of people, with over 12,000 claimants in the city currently on the six-in-one benefit system.
There are procedures in place to help staff deal with customers, including mental health support for both the claimant and the DWP employee.
Staff are "well versed" on the procedures and say they are very good at supporting one another.
One work coach team leader at the Exeter Street branch said that some of its claimants suffer from mental health issues and there is support in place to help them.
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Others spoke of facing abuse from claimants and jobseekers.
Plymouth Live was contacted by one Universal Credit claimant who complained of staff behaviour and included screenshots from his journal.
The entries showed the threatening behaviour from the Plymouth claimant, who Plymouth Live has decided to refer to as Mr X.
Staff at the Jobcentre Plus in Exeter Street
Mr X said that he would "rip [the employee] a new a*** hole" and referred to the staff member as a "keyboard warrior" and a "pen-pusher".
Mr X said he receives £5.89 a day from his claim.
The journal system is aimed at allowing staff and claimants to easily communicate with one another, but as Mr X's journal entry shows, not all messages are pleasant.
A spokesperson from the Jobcentre Plus in Exeter Street said: "We're all very good at talking to each other, we've got specific support in place for our staff and for our customers as well.
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"It's really difficult, you can't really pinpoint exactly what it is because it will depend on what the customer is telling us they need, and then we'll look at something bespoke and tailored for that customer because obviously one size doesn't fit all.
"We've got safeguarding policies in place to ensure that we are putting everyone's wellbeing at the forefront, regardless of whatever else is going on.
"We are very well versed and have very clear guidelines. I do a lot of work building connections with external groups."
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Excerpts from Mr X's messages
I told u a few home truth and u ddnt like it lmfao like I said he a joke. I don't want u as my worker ur a joke take that and report that as well.
Think I'm going to lie down and let u the Jobcentre try and dictate what I say or do. U may have the money to fund people but those that need the help dnt get it. Those that dnt need it get it. If I was a druggy spending all my nation living wage and spend it on drugs gaberling and so forth then I get why u stick ur fingers up at us.
But if I was on drugs u give me more f****** money to kill me off quicker.
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I'm taking it further and...rip u all a new a*** hole, trust. Ask for help dnt get it, dnt need help everyone want to give it to you when u dnt need it lol. I bet my life on the line as I know [employee], yes u, I bet u get university credit as well as being a pen pusher.
Now go report that dnt like what I got to say then I dnt give to s**** u dnt help and u make out u do.
How many people have died how many are on the streets, lost there home, because of u. How many jobs have u found people, bet my a*** not one and how long you worked there lol.
Years and what have u completed while u been there to us, the ink out of 3 pens and a new keyboard as ur all keyboard worriers and a new monitor coz ur all keyboard worriers and a new monitor coz ur all think as s***, so u need to buy new monitors as to much tipex on them.
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What do staff think about the system?
There have been many people who have struggled with the system, which has replaced six benefits with one single monthly payment.
One single mum said she had been stung by the benefit cap - brought in by the previous Coalition Government in 2010 - and faced legal eviction from her home because of her wrangle with the benefits system that forced her into rent arrears.
Disabled Plymouth man Neil Wright said he was utterly bamboozled with the new Universal Credit benefit – after receiving a payment of just 1p and being left with 77p to live on for two weeks.
(Image: Penny Cross)
And it isn't just claimants from Plymouth who have reported problems, Darren Allen from Netherton Dudley in the Midlands said that he was forced onto Universal Credit after he fell ill, and although he deems himself unfit for work, he has been told otherwise.
But staff at Plymouth's Exeter Street Jobcentre Plus said there could be a number of reasons that things have gone wrong for payments, but there are plenty of opportunities to have conversations and get the problem sorted before its too late.
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The 'journal' system allows them to report problems that they see, as well as the system allows them to see payments a week before they are due to hit the bank account, meaning if something looks wrong, they can report it to a staff member.
A Plymouth Jobcentre spokesperson said: "Universal Credit - everybody can see what's happening with their claim, it's all there for them to be able to access.
"Everything that we do, what we pay them and how much we pay them, is all on their statement which is like a pay statement.
"That is available to see a week before they get paid, so there is an opportunity there if something is not quite right and they think 'I wasn't expecting that', they can come in or report in their journal."
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The staff added that when the problems are reported in the media, DWP are unable to comment on individual cases, meaning these problems cannot be explained and make other people "reluctant" to make a claim.
A spokesperson added: "We have lots of success stories and we were just saying that some of the negative press is actually not helping, because people are afraid and reluctant to move onto Universal Credit or to make a claim initially.
"The difficulty is, with the people it has not worked for, we can't say why it has not worked.
"We're not saying categorically that the process has worked for them, but equally, we're not allowed to comment on personal cases. It could be that that customer has been late reporting something or hasn't provided some information and therefore haven't got their payment."
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What about people who are told they are fit to work?
There have been reports of Department for Work and Pensions staff interviewing people awaiting NHS treatment to ensure they were on the right money and not abusing the system.
The practice was condemned as 'grotesque' by a council scrutiny panel in London, where it has emerged hospitalised Universal Credit claimants have received shock visits from the so-called welfare state police.
In one instance, it was reported DWP officers visited a person in hospital awaiting an operation because they had missed an appointment.
However, staff at Plymouth's Jobcentre said that staff visit claimants when they are not able to make it in, which helps with their claim.
A Plymouth Jobcentre spokesperson said: "Quite often, some of the reports in the media are around the work capability assessment, again that's a functionality test and that's done by another stakeholder and this is around what you can do.
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"Some people might think that they aren't being treated fairly as they always used to be in a certain part of the employment industry and they want to do that job, but they can't do that job, it doesn't mean that they couldn't do something else.
"We can't sit here and say that every case goes right, because we can't comment on individual cases, but the message that we want to get out is that there is help available if there is something going wrong and actually come to us if you don't think it's right first of all."
Let us know what you think of the system.
Get in touch using katie.timms@reachplc.com, call 01752293100 or tweet me @KatieTimms94.
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