gov.uk Avis 

Rang up to change bank details. To be told by a child that I had I walk an hour to my nearest jobcentre. What's the point in this ridiculous system. No wonder England is a mess. We have 12 years old the country now. My details won't be changing anytime soon and now NATWEST will steal all my money... AGAIN

Crap absolutely crap they have ignored several of my journal messages they complain and sanction people about not writing in their journal but when people do they don’t reply for months and because I’m a career they take money off my universal credit and my kids money like I get paid peanuts for being a career then they wanna take extra money off me while I have a 4 year old a 7 month old plus I’m a career universal credit is disgusting they treat you like your a criminal tbh I just think everyone who’s had problems with universal credit should take them to court and get everything changed because this is why their are so many deaths no one can cope with the amount they are getting my mum works and gets a little bit of universal credit she gets absolutely nothing she works so hard and now their making her go college to learn how to use computers it’s giving her bad anxiety and panic attacks like she’s working leave her alone stop adding extra pressure on her you don’t give her enough plus your making her go college appalling

I do not have words. My housing costs were approved but never paid 9 years of clean work history needed help for one month and they failed miserably. Appointments all the time for nothing, empty promises and incompetent staff.

I've worked all my life and own my own home because of my hard work. I started a job that was incredibly toxic with bullying Manager. I was in my 6 months probation and as a result of sticking up for myself I got laid off. 6 weeks out of work now, from March 18th until now 5th May. Universal credit said they would pay me on the 3rd May, but then the day before told me I wasn't going to receive anything. I've attended all the meetings and have been having job interviews. There reason was because of my earning before I was laid off. Their pay period for May 25 is looking back at what I earned in March 25 so I was told, two months before. So I won't be getting April universal credit until July 25. I mean how is someone supposed to live for two months as a result of this with no money. The system is floored and useless. This is what I've been paying my taxes for all my working life. No wonder people go out a commit crimes to put food on the table because this is appalling service. I'm a professional woman and have had to take a credit card out to survive.

Universal credit is terrible. The work coaches are useless, lack empathy and clearly think they are out on a power hungry trip. My husband earns 310.00 a week and they have me going to the jobcentre in a town that has no work or industry at all and yet people who do nothing to look for work or don't work are left alone I'm amazed this regime is allowed in modern times. The taper rate is too high and the regime needs empathy. Disgusting and needs banning for good. Unemployment people aren't criminals or idiots. The DWP treat them as such.

My son can't find job since he was 18, just penalties after penalties. Every application, he applied for, is rejected. Service is appalling, no help no sympathy to young person. agencies and companies are employed people from different countries, but children in the UK struggling to find job. since last October he has only one months payment from UC. How they expect to young people in this country to live and build their lives if their no opportunities for any even warehouse jobs for them?

Absolutely deplorable. Phone line isn't operated by DWP. It's a third party call centre owned by France. The advisors are useless and untrained.

Over 90 mins and 4 advisors, asking the same question I get given different answers not one has any similarity.

During the calls advisors sound uninterested and bored. Frequently leave long silences without answering questions until you hang up and try again with a different advisor.

To get an appointment you have to phone universal credit.

When you speak to an advisor they email the local job centre to request an appointment.

You then have to constantly check your journal to see if an appointment has been set. Which can take days.

This is the biggest waste of time.

Call 1 person who emails someone else who either emails someone else or contacts you on the journal. This is a complete and utter joke

Why not provide an email address for clients to contact directly if they don't have access to the journal.

This would reduce the problems caused by uninterested and uneducated phone operators.

Just a warning you have to cancel your esa payments yourself universal credit don’t do it which I think is wrong.

I have written to the ceo Neil couling who has ignored my emails but that’s ok this universal credit is in big trouble.
They asked me to migrate from esa to uc one hour on the phone to migrate told a load of untruths by the operator did not receive my migration protection so they have sent pocket money for the month, no call backs when promised just a load of baloney think twice before migrating with uc as they will tell you untruths and suck you in and hang you out to dry.
I have lodged two complaints now and on my way to ombudsman.

I had a letter to transfer over from ESA to U.C within a time scale, I decided to do it right there & then as I suffer from mental health issues, I'm on a high dosage of anti depressants.
Firstly the phone number given on the letter ISN'T the number to make a claim, you get through to someone who's SOLE JOB IS TO BADGER YOU TO GO ON-LINE to make the claim, after I said I only have a mobile & I wish to talk with a human so if there is an mistake it may not be down to me & I can talk with someone. He gave me ANOTHER number to phone!!!! THE number on the letter ISN'T the number to call to make a claim, it's to try to force you to go on-line, he even told me that is his only job!!!
When I made the SECOND call to the number I SHOULD have been given in the 1st place, she AGAIN tried to get me to go on-line!!!! Ffs. I told her I'd already had this conversation.
Why your ESA details can't just be transfered over to U.C I don't know.
I was asked to provide 'proof' of some details & I need to get the correct paper work ready for a PHONE CALL to 'SHOW' the deatils are correct!!! I asked, how dies it 'show' anything when it's
a PHONE CALL???! He said he 'didn't know but 'that's what it states 'reading from a script'.
I was even asked if was PREGNANT!!!! Surely the BINT could have just ticked 'NO' without asking me!!!
As I type iwas I a queue waiting to get through there was a 'click' & it cut off!!! 😡
No one seems sure about their job & what to do, just reading from a script.
CONSTANTLY INUNDATED with text messages, they said 'this will happen' as you didn't make a claim on-line (see what I mean?)
I HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES!! I know this has to be done but they are making it tougher than it needs to be.
The automatic voice system DOESN'T understand the letter 'D', which my post code ends in & often hears the letter 'P' or 'B', I speak clearly & no matter how much 'clearer m' I try to speak it often messes up. I was in the middle of typing my phone number & it 'moved on' as if I'd finished!! I CLEARLY HADN'T.
All the people sound like teenagers or I their early 20s & don't sound like they kniw what they are doing, I don't have convince in them.

I’m just shocked, I don’t know if they are mindless or limited, I declared that I finally got a job on the change of circumstances, I’ve also got the UTR number in case I found some self employment opportunities and after 8 months I just had 300£ income.
The operators are not helping, I requested if there was some issues on my CV and no help, than another company called national career service are completely useless and offensive by thinking that their CV format will be better than what I used, the UC said it was too long, the National career service said to put more informations. In the end I found a job without their fussing and silly poor suggestions.
The UK government should apply to review their management, instead of wasting money by paying useless roles and must inspect the employers instead of frustrating the job seekers.
I’ve saw people paid by the hob centre only to say which floor you need to go when they can just put a message on the journal for the appointment sent by message, that is a huge waste of money, useless people are not even polite.
Such a shame for this beautiful Country.

Customer Service is awful most of them are rude to you, they hang up on you for no good reason they make you feel like you are a criminal, it costs nothing to be respectful

Let's start shall we...
Firstly, the website which is what they tell you to use to make contact regarding your claim, is quite bluntly, worthless. Its horrible, the format and layout looks like it was made in the 90's.
Writing in your journal to get a reply to anything whatsoever takes a week, and that is if you are lucky.
When i claimed ESA any and all enquires were dealt with that day. This new system is awful, how on earth can they think it's acceptable to used a system that takes an age to get anything organized.
The call center....
Lets just say, don't bother wasting your time. If you manage to get through to someone you can understand, you are lucky. They can't do a thing to help you, they can only leave a message for your 'case manager' to call you. The things i have needed could have been dealt with, on ESA, in one simple phone call.
They make it difficult to claim this benefit on purpose.
I have been waiting now, for 10 weeks to sort out my housing section of UC and i have my landlord down my neck about the money they should be getting.
You put a message in your journal and it takes a week for a reply. The constant back and forth was infuriating. Again, something that could have been dealt with, with a simple phone call. The whole system is designed to be difficult to both claim, and get anything with your claim organized in a timely manner.
How the government thinks this is an acceptable system for benefits is beyond me. It is so bad. So bad, i canot put into words how afwul this system is, without using every swear with in the english language.

When you call the members of staff they are horrible very unfriendly, they just end up upsetting you. Even my advisor on my journal I needed a letter for the PDSA to show proof & she never sent me a letter out, I made several phone calls and was lied to that it was sent in the post and it wasn't. Logging into a journal is rubbish I can never remember username. You should be able to talk to someone face to face if you need too & all staff need to be trained on how to show empathy especially to people who are struggling financially. I spoken to a Nigerian lady she was very rude horrible on the phone, then I tried to make I complaint & that person was horrible as well..

DWP have just sent me a bill for almost 50 thousand pounds. 5 years ago THEY made a serious mistake and overpaid me. They then let me stay overpaid for 5 whole years, accruing a debt of 10K every year! Amazing levels of incompetence. Apparently they accept no liability for THEIR mistakes and insist I have to pay them back. On my pension that would be impossible (when I got their letter I had just over 300Pounds in the bank!). Without discussion with me they have unilaterally decided they can take £250 off my PIP which will seriously leave me short every month. Criminal mismanagement of a situation that should never have happened. They have ignored my letter written by Citiizens Advice Bureau and worse have lied to my MP when they asked for an explanation, DWP saying it was all my fault.

I am not writing this to misguide, manipulate of misinform, this is my true experience. I had a not so good experience in the past, but the turn around in my most recent experience was exceptionally phenomenal. Credit must be duly given where it is due. The exceptional support I received from Georgia and Steven made me feel valued in a way that I cannot ever forget. I am stronger, and moving forward with courage because of the humble and dedicated support i received during a time when i clearly needed it the most. You hardly hear praises for your good work but let me assure you with no strings attached, you excelled in the manner you worked with me and found a lot of comfort working with you. Keep shining. You are doing an incredible job. I feel privileged to have worked with you.

Not worth the stress given £112 for the month had full amount of my husband work place pension said it was income. Though if you work they only take 55%. Also owe money as the month before they gave full amount only to be told the next day that I was not entitled to it.
I am a widow told I did not have to look for a job until May. I have started to look for a job as I have bills to pay and the small amount of savings is going down quickly. I am 62 looking forward to 4 year time when i hopefully can retire then I will be OK will receive government pension , work place pension, small amount from my husband’s workplace pension and maybe some of my husband’s government pension. I have worked hard all my life this is the first time I have not had a job and seeking help that does not appear to exist.

1 star is generous!

In the last 10 days I was meant to have 2 phone calls from UC. Initially I had to reschedule because they had booked it during my work hours and I was unable to answer calls. Not a problem, they booked a suitable one. Unfortunately, they couldn't be bothered to call me or give me a head up. So being sensible, and not wanting them to stop my money I first sent a journal message hoping K would hear from the agent but after 25 minutes I called them. Did I get an explanation? Nope! I spent 30 minutes on the phone to 2 separate, rude, dismissive people and then they cut me off!

Apparently, there was a technical issue according to the journal message the following day!

I then took the time to explain my availability for the following week and a new appointment was booked.

Imagine my frustration when that call also never happened! So, again I sent a message to the agent, didn't get a reply, and chose to call them.

This story is probably not over because I didn't get an explanation and I haven't had a reply from the agent. I've been told an email has been sent and that I should have a response within 3 working days but I am not holding out for a success story.

If I was invited to a meeting, did not turn up and failed to contact them with a valid reason my claim would be sanctioned. If they don't make contact nothing happens.

Not only do they think that my time belongs to them but their call centre stage are rude, dismissive, arrogant, and unhelpful!

I didn't choose to be in my position but I work really hard, I just don't get a great wage and I need some help. Why should I be made to feel like rubbish because they can't do their job properly?

Indian call center where the staff have no idea about what benefits in the UK even are. Why is a government scheme being outsourced to a foreign country?

Ironic really, if it was a call center in England therr would be less unemployed people. Idiots.

UC contact centre in a foreign country, terrible language barriers and can they be trusted with pertsonal details, i think not.