Found anything yet? Exploring the relationship between Universal Credit claimants and their work coaches
Work coaches have a significant role in shaping claimants’ experience of Universal Credit. Their responsibilities range from providing employment support and giving general advice to monitoring compliance with conditionality requirements. While many work coaches seek to provide meaningful support to claimants, they face multiple challenges in achieving this.
We recorded a wide spectrum of claimant experiences. This included empathetic and constructive support; bureaucracy and indifference; and even actively hostile and unproductive interactions.
Work coaches work in a system that prioritises the application of a harsh conditionality regime to achieve short-term outcomes. It offers limited capacity to deliver high-quality employment support and accommodate personal needs. Too often this leaves claimants feeling unsupported and disempowered.
This research complements and builds on many of the proposals in the government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper.